Undertale: Corrupted Determination
by SapphiR3
Summary: Frisk attempts to banish Chara nearing the end of the Gen-run. After making a wager, they reset, and begin to redeem themselves while learning the mysteries of the Underground. Who will be the winner of this bet? First person POV, with Frisk being gender-neutral. (DISCONTINUED)
1. We're all Monsters In the End

**Undertale. This game is a gem that needs to be showered with more love! So. To warm up my writing gears—which have probably rusted horribly so please forgive me when the wonky stuff comes up—I present an Undertale fic!**

 **I wanted to write from a third person POV but I keep forgetting to use the gender-neutral pronouns, so here you go. First person POV it is. In my head I imagine Frisk to be female, but since I'd like everyone to be able to enjoy the story, I'm sticking to the gender neutral thinga-magigs.**

 **FYI I took a few liberties with the plot sequences and stuff, like how it's impossible to see Alphys's lab if you don't do the true pacifist run. Bear with me here.**

* * *

 **Chara**

There's dust all over my body.

Wait, is it my body? I can't remember.

 _Of course it is_. I assure myself. It always has been. I frowned. Why did I feel bothered being covered in dust? Are they waking up?

I stop walking for a moment and listen intently. Looking down at my dust covered hands, I blinked a few times, as if to reorient myself.

All that greeted me was silence.

 _Hmmph._ I snort in satisfaction. Of course they weren't here. They disappeared a long time ago. It was about when I killed the 10th monster. Their pitiful cries and screams had slowly dimmed. Or maybe I finally tuned them out. The coward hadn't had the gall to continue witnessing my journey.

I shook my head a few more times. Nothing to worry about. I didn't care where they were. As long as I was control, they were no more a threat than a fly buzzing around my head. If they were cowering in fear in a corner of my soul, all the better.

I gripped my knife tighter, feeling my soul being filled with determination. The end was in sight. Just a little more, and I would come face to face with Asgore. In the reflection of the blade I held in my hand, I saw myself grin. Casually, I wipe off the excess dust that had gotten smeared over it when I killed the last monster. Miss… Muffy? I couldn't remember her name. Only that she was some ridiculous spider trying to sell overpriced goods.

I stepped forward to a save point, breathing a sigh of relief as my body restored itself. Handy, these things were. I'm going to miss them when I get to the human world.

Feeling another smile creep onto my face, I step forward into a grand hall.

Golden sunlight shone through the tall arched windows, making deep shadows. The high arched ceilings were held up by grand pillars, lining the corridor as if silently guarding its secrets. It vaguely reminded me of a cathedral.

I walked slowly and deliberately, already planning my first move when I finally reach the surface. Perhaps I should research about it a little more, since the human world seemed to have changed a lot since my time. At least, according to _their_ memories.

A shadow loomed in my vision. I stop, staring at the familiar outline of the shadow.

I look up, and a smile once again crosses my face. Well, that's a surprise.

 _That comedian._

He simply looks at me, with that ever present grin on his face. I know he isn't here to play, or make any more of his stupid jokes. In his pocket, I see a small bit of orange fabric poking out. A souvenir of a much taller skeleton who was his brother.

I say _was_. Because I killed him. Hehee.

So he must know. I wonder if he intends to stop me. I chuckled. As if he could.

At the sound of my laughter, the pinpricks of light denoting his pupils seemed to shrink. Ahh, so this is how he looks when he's angry.

And angry he is. I can feel it. The intense feeling of fury, rolling off him in waves of blue. I breathe, and I can almost taste it in the air. Fury, despair, regret… and disappointment?

I tilt my head in puzzlement. Why was he disappointed?

He begins his spiel. I know he's trying to wear me down. Trying to reach for my weak spot. Little does he know, I don't have any. Those worthless things called mercy, compassion, feelings…. I threw them all away a very long time ago.

He asks me, "Do you think every person has a little good in them?"

I want to shake my head. But somehow I can't. How strange.

His eyes dimmed further, the pupils in his eyesockets seeming to disappear. I can see his skeletal hands clenching in his pockets. He seems to have taken my silence as a yes.

"Then why did you kill him? … you dirty brother killer."

Involuntarily, I flinched at that.

What? Why? Why did I flinch? That wasn't me. I don't feel any regret at all towards killing that stupid loud—

 _Be-beep_. The sound of my soul being drawn out interrupted my thoughts. The skeleton seems to have finished talking. His eye is glowing cyan, and somehow the sight of it is giving me shivers. My hand is shaking, barely keeping a grip on the knife.

Why… am I afraid?

Me? Afraid of that comedian? I think not.

I shake my head fiercely, clearing off the sense of fuzziness. I am Chara, and I am determined. And no one, least of all this skeleton, was going to stop me.

It occurs to me I have never seen Sans fight. Papyrus, his brother, was a challenge, but in the end the big moron didn't go all out and spared me. _What. An. Idiot._ He could have easily killed me, when my LOVE was not yet too high. In a way, because he chose to spare me, he caused everyone after him to die a meaningless death. I chuckle in glee. Serves him right.

 _Why, oh why didn't he kill me when he had the chance? He should have just killed me_.

A thought, almost like a voiceless sob, ran fleetingly inside my head. I momentarily stop dead in my tracks, ignoring the countless amount of bones gathering around him.

For a moment, I am afraid. Not of the skeleton in front of me, but of the voice inside my head. It's _them_. And they're starting to wake up. Why? After all they had witnessed they decided to hide and cower, unable to handle the anguish of killing the monsters. It was at that moment they stopped fighting and relinquished control of their body to me. I am them now. And their soul is mine.

And it should stay that way.

I delved deeper into my soul and mentally gagged them. Tied them up. Not allowing them to speak. They struggled futilely, weak against my strong hold. I could feel them crying and howling, but I didn't care. I told them there was nothing they could do. If I died here, I could just load. Over and over again. Until I get my desired outcome. After all, that's how it's always been, right?

I see my soul slowly being dyed blue. Ah, so his magic is similar to his brother's.

I lick my lips in anticipation. The thought of the incoming battle is filling my whole body with determination. And adrenaline. Sans, noticing my expression, gives me a look of disgust. Well, as much a look as a skeleton can convey.

"That look on your face… you really are a kind of freak, huh?"

I ignore his question and dash towards him, brandishing my knife. Almost tasting sweet victory on my lips. I don't notice the skull-like cannons materializing around me. And by the time I did, it was much too late.

I woke up again at the entranceway, the save-point blinking and spinning in front of me, its glow clearing the fuzziness in my mind.

I… died?

I blink twice. That comedian actually managed to kill me?

And so quickly too.

In my shock, I just slump down there with I'm sure would be a dumbfounded expression. Even when faced with Undyne the Undying, I put up quite a good fight before a careless mistake got me killed.

I frown. How did he kill me so quickly? The last thing I remember was a few strange looking skulls surrounding me, and seeming to glow with an odd light.

All of them must have blasted me at the same time. To drown out my HP so quickly, it had to be the only explanation. I stand back up, contemplating my next move. Sans was waiting for me in the next hallway, this I knew. Would I be able to win this time?

I shrugged. It didn't matter. I would just keep trying and trying, until I figured out his tricks. It's worked before, why not this time? Even if I was a little disoriented from dying, I could feel excitement flicker in my chest. Finally, another worthy opponent. I was seriously getting bored.

* * *

I stand there, gasping. No, I can't call it standing. I was half leaning against one of the tall pillars, sunlight filtering though behind me. It casted shadows against the floor, and I could see my silhouette shudder now and again, barely keeping my back straight.

I was exhausted. Huffing and panting, I tried to remember how many times I died already. 100? 200? It seemed like this endless cycle had gone on forever. The first time where I had been caught off-guard seemed an eternity ago.

I had gotten used to his attacks. The first attack that he always used—the ring of gaster blasters—didn't damage me much anymore. I had learned to dodge it better. But what I didn't know was that he had a whole arsenal of attacks, each more brutal than the last. I kept resetting until I could barely avoid getting my HP completely drained, but the continual resets were taking their toll on me.

Physically and mentally, I was worn out. For the first time, my determination wavered. Heaving, I grasp at my soul, noting its red glow dimming slightly in tune to my determination. For a moment, I become mesmerized by it, staring at it blankly, noting the cracks in it. A small feeling of alarm grew, because out of the cracks were seeping red dust.

My HP was seriously low and I had no food left.

I glower at Sans, who is biding his time and observing me with that one glowing eye of his. Over the timelines, he has taken longer and longer to finish me off. Based on his commentary, it seems he just wants to prolong the inevitable resetting, over and over again.

 _ **Let me out**_ _._

 _Stop it._ I snarl. What seems to be the worst of it all is that they have grown more vocal over the timelines. It shouldn't be the case. I admit my mental defenses have dropped considerably over the strain of reloading so many times, but I owned their soul now, and my determination should be greater than theirs.

At least it should have been.

 _LET ME OUT. Don't hurt him. Don't hurt my friend. Stop. Stop. Stop._

Gritting my teeth, I shook my head fiercely. Residual blood from my head-wound leave the tips of my hair and splatter the floor, making my head woozy. Sans looks at me strangely, with an expression almost like… concern.

I shook my head again, ignoring another wave of dizziness. It seems I've lost enough blood to start deluding myself. Nevertheless, I grip my blade and charge at him, hoping to catch him off-guard.

No such luck. Like all the other timelines, he steps casually out of the way, slippery as an eel. Unable to fight against momentum, I tumble on to the floor where he had been standing. I let out a muffled curse, aware that the fall had just accelerated my bleeding.

I try to stand up immediately, worried that he would stab me in the back if I lay immobile too long. Then a tidal wave of dizziness hits me like a truck, causing my body to slump the ground.

Sans observes me a little more. I just lay there, anticipating his next move, hoping to save my strength. I just need to recover a little bit. If he decides to attack me now, I think I can manage to dodge at the last second.

After a few minutes of silent contemplation, he holds up both arms and shrugs at me. I slowly get up, eyeing him suspiciously. What was he up to now?

"Look kid, I'm tired of fighting ya'. Why don't you just lay down your weapon… well, it'll make my job a lot easier."

I struggle to hide a grin from my face. This _idiot_! They're _sparing_ me! After everything I've done to his friends! His _brother_! _The idiot was sparing me_! How pathetic!

I almost laughed in glee.

Finally. Finally after all these loads, I could finally kill him.

I pretend to contemplate his offer. Slowly, I hold the knife in front of me, making out as if I was going to drop it. I could envision it already, the look on his face as I slash it across his body.

He looks at me expectantly, heaving a sigh of relief at my actions. I smile internally. I did not intend to drop the knife.

In a split second, I close my fingers around the hilt tighter than ever before and lunge at him.

Or at least, I tried. I was still holding the knife at arms-length, pointed downwards in front of me. Confused, I tried moving again. Nothing. I couldn't move my fingers, my legs, even my face. It felt like I was frozen to the ground.

Suddenly, I watch in horror as my fingers slowly and deliberately unclasp. The knife fell to the ground with a clatter, leaving me unarmed. I start shouting internally, confused and afraid. My bewilderment turns into anger as I realize it's _them_.

 _WHAT ARE YOU DOING?_ I scream at them, trying to beat their consciousness into submission. _DO YOU REALISE HOW MANY TIMES I HAD TO LOAD TO GET THIS OPPORTUNITY?_

 _Yes_ , they reply calmly. _And I want to thank you for it. Thanks to that, I can finally take back my body._

 _YOU THINK IT WILL BE DIFFERENT? YOU THINK SPARING SANS WILL UNDO ALL THAT WE DID? YOU THINK YOU'LL GET YOUR HAPPY ENDING THIS WAY?_ I laugh hysterically at their naiveté. _YOU'RE A MURDERER, AND YOU THINK YOU'RE ABOVE CONSEQUENCES._

 _No, I'm not. I'll just take this opportunity to reset. Everything. Everything we've ever done. Everything about you. Everything about me. They'll_ _ **live**_ _. Toriel, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Mettaton, Muffet… all the monsters. I'll make sure of it this time. I'll make sure they outlive me, long after I've turned to dust._ They were frustratingly calm. But I could still hear slight trembling in their thoughts, and I knew it was all a big show of bravado.

 _You think you're so brave and kind aren't you? Saying such gallant words. But truth be told, aren't you prone to sit in the background and watch things happen?_ I laugh as I feel them mentally flinch _. It was after the first few deaths, wasn't it? The point where you began fighting back. Then, it got so unbearable to watch them turn to dust you started handing the reins to me, didn't you? Don't like getting your hands dirty huh? And now you want to spout things like protecting everyone… when it was you who let them die in the first place._

 _Even if you reset now, you know you killed them all. You know how you didn't even try fighting back, letting me kill them. In a way, you're a better monster than me… because you watched silently as I massacred your precious_ _ **friends**_ _. Tell me, will you be able to live with them? Knowing at one time, their deaths were a reality, and you did nothing to stop it from happening? Do you think you will ever be forgiven for that?_

They remain silent, and lift their head to look up at Sans. He is sweating, and holding out his arms in invitation. Our dialogue lasted only a few seconds, even though it seemed like hours.

… _I don't._ They finally replied. _I don't expect to be forgiven. But… I have to try…and fix it. And…and the best way I can do that, is to give them the happy ending they deserve._

I realise they don't mention what happens to us.

 _I'll cross that bridge when I get there._ They said wryly. _But rest assured, it's probably the ending we deserve as well._

They look at Sans again, and move their (my?) legs into a run. Trying to run into his embrace. It seemed they wanted to tell him about their plans, seeing as he knew about the different timelines.

"Finally." he breathed. "Kid. Buddy. Pal. I know how hard this is for you. To waste everything you built-up to this point." His eye-sockets go dark at this point. " I just want you to know…"

In the middle of running, they didn't notice thousands of bones materializing above them, all sharp and pointed vertically downward.

"I won't let it go to waste."

There was a moment of intense and piercing pain, before our consciousness started to blur.

The last words we heard as we were slipping into darkness were

 **"Geeeettttt dunked on!"**

Even to their dying breath, I can feel them express some amusement at this, while I fume silently in the background.

 _No matter_ , I realize. At the last save-point, I was in control, so naturally they would still be bound at that point. I smile at these events. Perhaps I should thank that comedian for tricking me.

It was a small whisper, but I swear I could hear the words, "If we're really friends… you won't come back."

* * *

I feel them struggling to wrench control from my hand. And it's working. I know I have limited time left. Truthfully, I'm so tired. I can't muster anymore determination to continue. However, I will struggle against them until the last moment.

Sans is eyeing me, preparing to finish me off. Or… not?

He's just standing there blankly, that grin never leaving his face. My body aches everywhere. I don't want to, but I glance down and assess the damage. My clothes are burned in places, and the hem of my sweater is singed, glowing with a trace of blue flames. A few bones are stuck in my chest, causing a small waterfall of blood to gush down and form a shallow pool in front of me. The knife was long gone. I lost grip of it somewhere in the fight. Probably when Sans bashed me around the hallway. I couldn't move. My body felt broken.

 _The way humans die is so messy_ , I think vaguely.

As I look at Sans standing there, waiting to pass me judgement for my sins, I let out a chortled laugh. Which I then immediately regret, as it sent a stabbing pain through my being, causing the waterfall of blood to gush faster.

Sans looks surprised. But not in a good way.

"What's so funny, kid? I'm not joking around here."

"I-it's... just so ironic." I rasp.

He lifts a metaphorical eyebrow. His face is unchanging, but his unasked question lingers in the air.

"Y-you're st-standing there. Like an all-powerful judge… staring at me like I'm a m-monster…" I pause and chuckle throatily, and wince, "when in fact, you're all m-monsters. A-and I don't mean that as a species. Y-You're all hypocrites."

I wheeze and resist the urge to cackle as he blinks in surprise. Or at least his glowing eye winked out for a moment.

"You _are_ a monster."

"That… I am. B-but are a-any of you less of a monster than me?"

I wheeze and cough, feeling my vision getting hazy, but I continue, not even caring whether or not he was listening.

"Y-you all need 7 human souls to break the barrier… and according to everyone, I'm the last one you n-need…that means, Asgore has al-already taken 6 human children's souls."

Sans's left eye started growing dimmer. His shoulders hunch and he clenches his fists tighter.

"That was—"

"Do you think you're all blameless? Did the children who fell down here all deserve to die? Did they deserve to die any more than Papyrus? Undyne? Toriel?"

"That's—!"

"Did they?! Did they hate humanity like I did?! Did they actually want to go home?! Were they helpless and weak, and did you _murder_ them all anyway?!"

I started shouting and rambling, not caring that my body was getting colder and colder.

"You judge me for every little LOVE and EXP I gain, but how do you have LOVE too sans? How does Undyne have LOVE? How many people have YOU killed?"

Sans's eye is completely out, and I can hear his bones rattling.

"Y-you might say that it was necessary, b-but why didn't you just stop at the first human? Y-you could have just absorbed their s-soul and crossed the barrier… look for an al-alternate solution."

I try to steady my breathing, ignoring the dull aches everywhere.

"E-even t-the stupid royal scientist… they extracted the d-determination from the human souls, didn't they? And created a new kind of monster. The amalgamates."

If a skeleton had eyeballs, his would be bulging right now.

"h-how do you—" He stammers.

"I… broke into it," I smirk, "the lab that is. The stupid scientist forgot to evacuate the amalgamates. I killed them all, of course." I smile wider at him. "Wasn't that kind of me? I ended their pitiful lives, all meshed together into one cesspool of individuals."

I could see my soul being dyed blue again, and it started convulsing, like it was being squeezed. At this point, I didn't care. If I was going to die regardless, I might as well say my piece.

"A-and you want to stand there like a saint, telling me I'm the true enemy, that I'm the demon." I can't stop myself from laughing, although I know I'm only making things worse. "When you even experiment on your own kind, causing them to live in a state where they aren't even allowed to die." My vision started to blur for a moment, before I forced myself to focus. "A-and you created the greatest tragedy of all, even if you don't know it."

"what are you talking about?"

I consider telling him about Flowey. How ironic it was that, they are the ones who created that soulless flower, born from their determination experiments. The once-Prince of the underground. My first best friend.

A wave of sentimentality washes over me, and I decide not to tell.

Suddenly, I just feel so tired.

"A-and the funniest thing is," I change the subject, my voice is losing its edge and is descending to a whisper, "that everyone I met, every monster I met, tried to kill me."

"I didn't do anything, and they tried to kill me. And when they did, I have to go over that feeling of dying, over and over again. Until somehow, I meet their s-stupid expectations and… they spare me. But every time they kill me, every time my body got torn apart, that doesn't count, does it? They didn't know any better, right?"

I laugh again. It's barely a whisper now.

"And when I raise my hand in defense, you call me a monster, a murderer, a demon. It's all so _hilarious_."

I don't know where this is coming from. Is it my feelings? Or theirs? Either way, my short tirade has left them speechless. For a little while, their struggles cease and they stop screaming in my head for me to let them take this body back. I relish the silence, since I knew it couldn't last.

Sans, for all his glib jokes and that stupid grin, looks chagrined. If it was possible for a skeleton to look chagrined. I chuckle at his expression, knowing that I had hit a particularly sore spot. I don't really care about the other human children. I just felt… frustrated? The holier-than-thou way they view me makes me want to puke. It wasn't supposed to end this way. I was _angry_. It seems all monsters were destined to get in my way.

I didn't hate monsters at first. But if they were going to get in my way, then I just have to cut them _all_ down. Simple as that. Humanity would soon follow.

At least that was how it was supposed to go.

The sound of rattling bones quiet down as he seems to settle some sort of internal dispute.

He doesn't say much, and just walks up to me, crouching down. I want to turn away, but my body is past obeying me at this point. They try to move as well, and I willingly hand the reins to them this time, knowing full well they wouldn't be able to do anything. They manage to move a few fingers, and then give up, and then I push them away again. Instead, I glower at his face, which is illuminated by his one glowing eye. His skull is covered in sweat, and somehow in the situation I find it in me to wonder fleetingly how skeletons can sweat.

He just stares at me for a while from where he crouches. His gaster blasters hover around behind me, just in case I happen to make any sudden moves. Would that I could.

"welp. I guess you're right kid. I'm not proud of the things we did, for sure. But some things are a necessary evil." He scratched his head nervously, probably wondering why he was bothering to justify his actions.

I cough and heave, trying to speak. My voice came out a whisper. "Pretty… words. Evil is evil. A-and there's a-always a ch-choice."

I made mine long ago. And I don't intend to turn back.

He sighs. "Nothing gets past you huh, kiddo. Yeah well, we all get what we deserve in time, and I'm not gonna waste any sleep over the things I've done." He stood his elbow on his knee and rests his skull on his palm, tilting his head in a questioning manner. "But lemme ask you a question, pal."

I raise my eyebrows. Even that took all the strength I had.

"You told me that you and I are the same, yeah? Well, I just wanna ask you a lil' something. Do you feel… any sorrow or… regret? For everything you done? When you killed a monster, killed Pa-… my brother, did you feel anything at all?"

I crack a sarcastic smile at him. "Sure I did." I croak.

"I felt _reeeeallly_ happy."

His gaster blasters move forward. I close my eyes, awaiting the moment I wake up to a save-point.

"And that's the difference between you and me, _buddy_."

* * *

 **Whew. And that's the end of this chapter. Let me know what you think! ; )**

 **…or not… if you don't want to, it's okay… *lays on the floor with Napstablook***


	2. The Cost of Freedom

**Merry Christmas! Here's an early gift : )**

 **Hi guys, I'm glad you're enjoying this! There's a lot of monologuing in this chapter, so yeah. Chara is such a hard character to write (no pun intended), I'm dying here. The game portrays them as this pure malicious force of will, but I'm not sure. I kind of want to give them some depth. Sure, they're pretty evil, but I think they had some good in them as well.**

 **Also. Taking liberties with the plot sequence and information reveals. Taking** _ **all**_ **the liberties.**

 ***Insert appropriate and witty disclaimer***

* * *

 **Frisk**

I'm awake. But instead of waking up to a save-point like I expected to, I see the wooden floor of New Home stretching out in front of me. I take a step forward, before stopping in shock.

I… am me. Frisk. I can move my body? My body. Where did _they_ go? I couldn't feel them anymore. As relieved as I felt, I couldn't shake the odd feeling of emptiness within me. I was so used to being confined within my own body, it seemed so strange that I could move it now.

I flex my fingers, wiggle my toes and try pinching my cheeks. It's me. Still me. The hallway seems to stretch endlessly, littered with pots of golden flowers here and there. I remember there being a mirror at the end of the hallway. I keep walking.

The silence is eerie. My footsteps echo loudly throughout the hallway, each step causing my heart to beat faster. I pause to look at the golden flowers, before remembering a certain talking flower who had very sinister expressions. I look away quickly, not daring to glance at them any longer.

At this point, I start dashing to the end, wanting this nightmare to end. Somehow, I knew that the end of the hallway was my exit. Exit to what… I didn't know. Only that I knew I wanted to get out of this place.

I stop in front of the mirror. It was a familiar face. Narrowly shaped eyes, button nose and a mouth that held a neutral line to it. Short brown bobbed hair. A striped blue sweater. I breathed a sigh of relief. It's me. I close my eyes and steady my breathing. I allow myself a small smile.

I open my eyes. My smile droops. It's not me anymore.

"Howdy, partner." Those were my eyes, yet they were wide open, tinged with a striking red colour—a colour as red as my soul. It was paired with a smile—and yet that smile seemed to stretch too wide to seem friendly. Their cheeks had a rosy flush. And instead of my blue sweater, they had a light-green one on, with a light yellow stripe running through it. Their appearance was disconcerting.

I grimace. "We are not partners."

They laugh. It wasn't a pleasant sound. "I beg to differ. Do you not remember me killing all those monsters? Or do you not remember on account of cowering in the corner like the pathetic being you are?"

I flinch. "…" I couldn't say anything in retort. Because it was true.

"Well, enough of small talk." They tilt their head in a questioning manner. "What do you plan to do now?"

I look at them, feeling suspicious. Why were they asking?

"…I'm going to save everyone." I declared.

They snort in derision. "I gathered that. But how do you plan on doing that?"

"I…" I haven't actually thought about it yet. Unconsciously, my brow wrinkles. How did I plan to free the monsters? I didn't know how to go about it. Yet. But I would figure out how. No matter what it took.

"You don't know, do you?" They noticed my expression, and their grim seemed to grow wider, if it were possible. "YOU IDIOT."

"You only survived this far thanks to me, I'll have you know." They play with their hair lazily. "How do you plan on beating Undyne with no LOVE? Or Asgore? He already killed 6 humans, what makes you think he'll spare little ol' you? Why do you think you can save them? Do you think you're some kind of God?"

I tremble at their words. They're right, of course. If I stayed at LOVE 1, my HP would only be worth a few hits. And then I would die. But to gain LOVE… I would have to kill them. Visions of dust covering my palms, Papyrus dying, Undyne the Undying… Sans's expression. I shook my head fiercely.

Never again.

"No," I answer them, "but I won't kill. Even if I'm killed."

I stare directly at them, feeling determined. I wouldn't let them scare me now. Cowardice had led to this. I wouldn't take it anymore. I'll be damned if I don't save them all, or keep dying of trying. I smile wryly to myself. _Well, it's not as if I don't have the time_. For once, I was glad of this strange time travelling ability.

"Ahh, and here we behold Saint Frisk." They stop playing with their hair and stare at me. "… _But do you really think you're in control_?"

It was like a sudden distortion of space. One instant, I was looking at their face, with that rosy blush covering their cheeks. The next, it was a face contorted into a horrifying mask, as if their features were melting. I blink and gasp in terror, before their face returned to normal.

"Do you think I'll let you go?" They chuckle. "You think you can stop me? I'll just make you go away again, and keep on resetting till I kill Sans." They stick out their tongue at me, taunting me childishly.

"You can try," I resist the urge to mirror the movement. "but I'll keep butting in everytime. Until you die, I'll make you repeat this endless cycle of death. Until you give up."

I stare them down. Their mirth seems to die at my expression. They know I'm serious.

"You'll die with me." They look shocked.

"I know."

"Over and over again. Forever."

"Seems appropriate for a demon, doesn't it?" I say tonelessly.

"YOU… IDIOT! _IDIOT_! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? FOR THOSE WORTHLESS MONSTERS? YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THEM! WHY ARE YOU PROTECTING THEM? OR MAYBE IT ISN'T THEM? WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO PROTECT?" They started shouting at me, and pounding their fists again on the glass.

I wince, half-afraid the mirror would break, but it held, making loud banging noises as they continued hammering at it.

Ignoring the feeling of butterflies in my stomach, I keep my face smooth.

"I'm… not sure." I begin hesitantly. "I only know that… they were my first friends. They were the only ones who ever… reached out to me. Even when I was on the surface… I was all alone." I clench my fists.

They stop pounding and slump their shoulders in defeat. But they still glowered at me. I meet their stare as steadily as I can.

"Or maybe there's no reason at all. Maybe… I'm just being selfish. I'm not sure. Only that I know that I can't let you out. You should have been dead a long time ago." A thought occurs to me.

"Why did you come back?" I ask curiously. It's known that human souls could persist after death, and the six souls were still in existence… but that probably wasn't very long ago, and they didn't seem to retain their previous consciousness. So why were they… still here? Alive and kicking, at that.

"…" They remain silent at my question, unwilling to answer. I wait patiently.

"I was supposed to kill humanity." They said suddenly. "You know the story. I wanted power. Power to have my revenge on them. In the end, I even took my own life, hoping to have my dream achieved. I asked my best friend for help." They laughed bitterly. "Or at least he was supposed to be my best friend. The traitor."

"Asriel." I said quietly, remembering the VHS tapes they found in the true lab, as well as their memories.

"Yeah. He was the person I trusted most, you know." They have a weird look in their eyes, something akin to sorrow, but I wasn't sure. I had never seen any expression on their face except sadistic joy and rage. "And then he betrayed me."

They bury their head in their hands in frustration.

"You remind me of him. The way you both stupidly refuse to fight back when people hurt you." Their shoulders start shaking. "After I died, he wanted to grant my last wish of burying me in my hometown. The _dummy_. I only wanted him to do that so I could seize control of the combined power of our souls and eradicate them all."

I keep silent, I didn't know this part of the story. I had glimpsed into their mind at times, and I knew about Asriel being Flowey because they addressed him such, but deep memories I couldn't see.

"The humans, being humans, started attacking him, because they thought he was the one that killed me." They started making choking sounds, but I couldn't tell if it was a laugh or a sob. Maybe it was a mixture of both. "Humans are so cruel, aren't they? They fear the unknown. And instead of trying to understand it, they want to destroy it. Humanity is trash."

"You're human too, you know." Not any more… but I felt the need to point it out.

They lift their head to look at me. Their eyes look redder than before. "Exactly." They give me a sarcastic smile.

"Anyway, the humans attacked him without mercy. I yelled at him, just like I did at you. ' _KILL THEM! PROTECT YOURSELF! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?'_ But the idiot wouldn't listen. He just took my body back calmly and lay beside me as he slowly died."

They took a breath. "So I decided, monsters and humans, I would kill them all. It doesn't matter anymore. Somehow, someday, they were all going to get in my way. So why not just destroy everything? Clean and quick. No messes, no heartbreaks."

Their voice petered out.

"I'm… sorry." I said awkwardly. Their best friend died needlessly for them, cementing their hatred for humanity even further. The betrayal of Asriel and their death, it had all been for nothing. They died with sorrow and rage. Suddenly, all the mad killings and cruelty made more sense.

It didn't make it excusable, but it made it more understandable.

"I don't need your pity." They snap at me. "Just so you know, I don't regret anything I've done. At all." They start looking at me with that creepy expression again. It was like the expression of sadness from before never existed in the first place.

I hated them. I knew that they probably had a reason for being this way, for harboring such deep hatred that they could only feel malice. Something horrible must have happened to them prior to falling down Mt. Ebott. Maybe all the fallen children were that way. Including me.

But I didn't want to think about that right now.

I couldn't forgive them. No matter how much I felt sorry for them, the fact that they killed all the monsters over and over again… and did it with my hands… I shudder at the memory.

They grin at me knowingly. "Ahh… you know it too, don't you? You can't possibly claim to have good feelings for me, eh? Partner. No matter how much you spout your hypocritical nonsense, you can't find it in yourself to like me, huh? They sneer at me. "No hard feelings. I don't particularly like you either."

We glare at each other in stony silence for a while.

Finally, they leaned forward, hands cupping their mouth, as if they were whispering conspiratorially to me. "Hey, tell you what. Since you're so hell-bent on saving them… why don't I throw you a bone?"

"I'm… listening."

"Even if I try and kill Sans, you're just going to interfere every time." They shrug. "So why don't I let you play your little game? I'll let you discover for yourself… how futile your efforts are. You won't be able to save a single soul. And even if you do, there are others that will die." They shoot a malicious smile at me.

"They _won't_." I cross my arms over my chest stubbornly.

The laugh at my expression. "You're… still too naïve." They said, shaking their head at me. "Let's say you manage to break the barrier and free the monsters—which is impossible without a seventh human soul, by the way—what are you going to do next?"

They close their eyes, looking tired all of a sudden. "Do you think the humans who originally trapped them underground, will just welcome them back with open arms?"

They open their eyes and continue gazing at me. "Didn't you learn anything from reading the ancient scripts in Waterfall? There was a _war_. A real life war, where monsters and humans alike, died. And unlike now, there was no convenient SAVE ability. People died. Monsters died. There was no mercy."

"…" I couldn't answer them.

"Why did the war even begin in the first place? It was recorded somewhere right? The humans feared the monsters. Monsters who absorb human souls gain power so great they could even become a God. Faced with such a possibility, how will the humans react?"

I'm stunned as I remember how the humans had reacted to Asriel, carrying the body of their friend home. They smile, as if they know what I'm thinking about.

"And according to your memories, the human world has progressed to the point where they have forgotten about the existence of monsters. Human weapons have advanced. They no longer use spear and knives, do they?" They tilt their head at me, recalling fuzzy memories of TV shows from my time on the surface.

"Humans kill even their own kind. It's even a daily occurrence. Do you think they will spare monsters, who are an unnecessary threat to them? Look at what I was able to do with a single knife," they went on tonelessly. "With just a single knife and some determination, I was able to exterminate almost every monster in the Underground. What makes you think they'll survive on the surface? The surface where there are countless humans, bigger and stronger, more powerful weapons, and endless determination."

"I…"

"You're would just be leading them to their destruction. They would be better stuck down in the Underground, where they are safer."

"They're trapped down here."

"To their benefit."

"They'll never truly be free."

"Freedom, huh? Freedom comes at a cost, idiot. What is freedom compared to living?" They shook their head again. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this. Only know this, your stupid ideals are just that—ideals. They don't work in reality. You think all monsters are friendly? What about the ones who resent the humans for trapping them underground? What about the ones who make a wrong move when humans discriminate against them on the surface? How will the humans react when they learn that seven children were murdered to break the barrier? Another war will break out, this time more bloody than the last."

"And it will be the end of a race—either humans or monsters. Though, personally, I see humans as the more likely victors." They snort.

"So one day… when you come across a monster who wants to murder a human in revenge for killing their friend, what will you do?" They gaze at me, their face expressionless. "Will you continue to spout your ridiculous ideals, or will you allow the monster their justice? Hmmn? Will you tell them to hug it out? Will you ask them to be FRIENDS?"

"You're just one human child. Do you think your voice alone will be enough to move the whole world?"

I'm a child… though probably much older at this point, due to the hundreds of resets and loads. But…

…they were right. I couldn't think of anything rational, or anything reasonable to refute their argument. Only that, I wanted the monsters to have their dreams. I… wanted to be able to save them. Or at least, do as much as I could within my power.

"I… won't be able to save everyone. But…" I struggle to say the next words, because I wasn't used to speaking so much. Frankly, I was being more vocal than I had ever been on the surface. "Living like this… trapped in a birdcage, never seeing the sky, never knowing what the sun looks like… it's not living. They can't stay here forever, acting as if the outside world never existed. You may say that living is better than freedom… but they're going to fall into despair…. And living is despair is no better than being dead."

"That's why we climbed Mt. Ebott in the first place, right?" Their face freezes.

I continue with a shaky breath. "There's going to be problems, I admit that. Humans fight and murder over small petty differences, so it's going to be even worse with monsters. And you're right, not all monsters like humans, some of them may even hate us, like Undyne does. They may even have good reason to, since humans are to blame for their predicament. That's out of my hands. I can't change history. At least… not ancient history."

I remain silent as I contemplate what to say next. I find that I'm really not that good at talking.

"But…" I take a deep breath and look them in the eye. "Like how not all monsters are good, not _all_ humans are bad. …There will be people who will love the monsters. For every human that tries to hurt and kill them, there will be people who will protect them, who will fight for them, who will die for them. And that will make all the difference."

"That's—!" They stop short and glare at me, angry that I was refusing to agree with them.

"Asgore… I'm not sure what kind of person he is. But he seems like a good king who wants to do his best for his people…" I think about the 6 human souls. I'm not sure, but the monsters seem to love their king, so I'm crossing my fingers for a peaceful personality. "He'll probably disallow violence against the humans."

"And there are monsters like Toriel, who would never allow other monsters to act out in violence. She loves them, you know. She protected the 6 children before they left the Ruins. We killed her, remember? Only because we wanted to pass a door." I smile bitterly at them.

"And what about when the humans attack them? What then? Are the monsters not supposed to fight back?" They taunt me. "Humans are inherently selfish. If they want a war, they will go to any means to justify starting one."

"That's… true." I agree. "We are inherently selfish. I'm being selfish right now. I'm a human, I shouldn't _want_ to free the monsters, shouldn't want to free them and allow them to come back to the surface. I've even been killed by them hundreds of times. And yet I'm doing this. I'm not doing my own species any favours." I chuckle a bit at that.

"We are …emotional creatures, I think. We hate fiercely, but…we love deeply too. We're really selfish. There will be people who will protect the monsters against their own kind, and at that time… _they_ will be the selfish ones, wouldn't they? They'll be going against the wishes of their own species, like what I'm doing now."

I clasp my cold fingers together and bring them up to my face, trying to warm them.

"What will people do… for their friends? What wouldn't they do? If they had the power to do it? Why did Asriel bring your body to the surface and endure all those attacks? You were a human, part of a species responsible for all their fear and imprisonment. Why did he help you? Why… did he die for you?" I ask quietly.

They don't respond.

I close my eyes momentarily and think of Toriel, sitting cozily by her fire reading a book. She smiles at me, telling me she's so excited for me to try her pie. Then I think about Sans and his hilarious pranks and puns, of his signature winks. I think of Papyrus, leaving his god-awful spaghetti for me to try in the middle of the road, and his face lifting like a cloud when I told him I ate it. Those events were in the first timeline, when I still had control of my body. And then I accidently killed a monster and kept resetting until I wasn't me anymore. I think of those simple moments and long for them.

"People… are going to get hurt. Monsters will have a hard time. But one day, I truly believe that they'll be able to live together peacefully. After all… once upon a time, they did, didn't they?" I muse.

"And because they couldn't settle their differences, war broke out, remember?" They glower at me.

"Then maybe it's time… we learn how to do that." I said hotly.

They stay quiet and brood over what I just said. I'm not quite sure I believe myself either. But I want to. And my gut is telling me that this is the right thing to do. Even though the ending might be less than perfect, the monsters needed to be free. Free to make their own mistakes. Free to choose how to live.

"I'm not buying it." They shake their head and hold up their hands in a shrugging gesture. "But you can continue believing that. If you wish. My faith in humanity isn't that great, in case you haven't noticed. In all honesty, I don't care who wins, humans or monsters. They're all the same to me." The give me a blank look.

"You say they'll live in peace someday, and you might be right. But how many lives will be lost before that day comes? And how long will that moment of peace last? It's just like what I said to Sans." They laughed. "Pretty words. Evil is evil. Nothing _necessary_ about it. There's always a choice." They remind me.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then. We'll see how long you hold out with your pathetic ideals of 'Peace' and 'Mercy'. Let's make a wager, shall we? Though you won't have to worry. Because if you lose, you'll be dead before you get to see this world perish."

They smile innocently at me.

"So struggle, _Frisk_. Try and prove me wrong. Try to make sure you don't produce another Flowey. Try as hard as you can to protect your friends. Though I doubt you can." They bring up a finger to the glass, tapping my forehead.

I gave a start of surprise. It's the first time they have ever addressed me by my name.

" _But remember._ "

They lean even closer towards me, their face pressing up against the mirror. I shrank back, not liking the smile that seemed to stretch the whole length of their face.

"I am the demon that comes when it is called. So if you ever give up… decide to kill a monster… if you ever start hating them… if you ever so much as think of it, even for just a moment…"

Their voice drops to a whisper that sends chills down my spine.

"I'll come running. And this time, _you'll really die_."

I nod and swallow thickly. "I'll make sure you won't need to."

They start laughing, and the mirror separating us starts to crack. It was a good thing, because their face was starting to melt into that grotesque expression again.

"Ahahahahahahaha—oh, it seems our time is running out." I can't see them clearly anymore, the cracks in the mirror were getting bigger, spreading out in a web-like pattern, bits and pieces chipping off.

"Well, Frisk. This is it. Let's see who the more determined one is." They give me a mock wave.

"Remember… _I'll be watching_."

The mirror burst, shattering with a shrieking sound. I close my eyes and continue walking towards the end of the hall.

"Also…" Their sound of their voice drifts softly to my ears. "If you see him again, tell him… that I'm sorry I couldn't be a better friend."

* * *

I wake up to the save-point again. I stand there staring at the glowing point of magic. It's… just me here. Nobody else.

"…Chara?" I say uncertainly. Nobody replies. For once in a long time, I am truly alone.

 _I'll be watching._

I remember their words, and quickly make myself walk forward. It was going to be a long journey, and I wasn't going to give them a chance to come back.

And yet, as I'm walking, there's a faint memory in my head. Of a little child burying their head shyly into a bouquet of golden flowers, and their little goat friend laughing at them. Their parents look down at them in amusement, hands resting on their shoulders. Under the bouquet of flowers, they are smiling in bliss.

* * *

 **Annnd I'm done. It seems this story will be full of dialogue.**

 **Do you guys like all the talking? Or should I just skip over conversations? I kind of like writing them though, since I consider the characters personalities, and I imagine what they would say.**

 **The next chapter should be typed out when this is posted. I'm trying to make it so I have a chapter written out in advance when I post a new one. Let's see how long that lasts. (laughs)**

 **Do leave a review if you like it! They make my day! ; )**

… **See you around, Chara.**


	3. I Want To Go Home

**Happy New Year! : )**

 **Hey folks! I just got back from a trip, so forgive me for the long wait. Well, at least this chapter is longer (for me at least), to make up for it.**

 **I enjoyed reading all your reviews! Thank you all once again for the support. Sometimes I'm not sure what to reply, other than a comment in agreement or appreciation, so please excuse me if I didn't reply to your review.**

 **Also, I did some doodles for the story. Not sure if you guys would be interested, but I'll leave the link here anyway. Fanfiction doesn't allow links, so just get rid of the spaces and the brackets (** **sta . sh / 232 k2d xa kob )**

 **If there are any specific moments you like, feel free to request! I might draw it if I have time.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

I step forward into the golden hallway for the last time. Well, the last time in this time-line, anyway. I stop before the point where I know Sans normally appears. I know I can just reset without talking to him… and yet I want him to know—what I intend to do. And I want to apologize, though I doubt he'll ever forgive me at this point.

He's not appearing yet, though I know he's here somewhere, quietly observing me in the background. What is he thinking about now? Is he still thinking about what Chara said in the last load? He seemed to have been affected by their words, to an extent. They had a knack for getting to people, both physically and mentally. A fact I knew all too well.

"Hey Sans." I said softly. My voice echoed throughout the quiet hallway, and I was sure he heard it.

I blink once and there he is, standing at his usual place, his face half-hidden in shadows. I feel the full force of his anger directed at me right now, with no Chara to buffer the glare. I wasn't used to being on the front-lines, and his expression downright terrified me. He steps forward, and his eyesockets are dark, but I know one eye would begin to glow ominously very soon.

"Well, let's get this over with then. You sure are a resilient one, I'll give you that." He flicks his bony fingers, and I can see his ring of gaster blasters moving forward.

I hold out the knife in my hand… and calmly place it on the ground. Well, as calmly as my shaking hands would let me.

"… What are you doing?" He stops, and his weapons hover in mid-air, mirroring his hesitation.

I stare at him sadly, "I don't want… fight you anymore."

"Well, that'll make my job much easier then." His gaster blasters continue their path towards me.

I hold both my hands up. "Wait." Though I don't expect him to. I was prepared to die a few more times before finally getting through to him.

Surprisingly, he does. "…What are you playing at, kid? You seem… different." He gazes me suspiciously, his eyes darting between me and the knife on the floor. He was suspecting a trap. Which was wise of him, considering Chara attempted something like this last time, except I managed to intercept them in time.

 _Different_ , huh. I didn't realize there were any noticeable physical changes except my eyes when Chara was in control. I glance at the knife and see my reflection. Then I realize that eyes do play a crucial part of a person's face.

My _eyes._ I didn't pay much attention before, but Chara always had this crazed murdery look on their face, and it didn't help that my irises turned red when they inhabited my body. Now I see a pair of muddy brown pupils staring at me, looking a little scared. I have never been so glad to see my own eyes.

"I'm… wasn't… me." I struggle to explain. How on earth would I explain this? And would he even believe me? I mentally shook my head. This was a bad idea. But I had already come this far, so there was no use regretting it.

I took a deep, steady breath and force myself to look at him head on, not aware that I was avoiding his gaze this whole time. "I haven't been me in a long, long time."

He has a skeptical expression on his face. I find it strange that I can read his expressions. Skeletal faces shouldn't be capable of conveying emotion, and yet I can read his fairly well.

"You expect me to believe that it wasn't you this whole time? …that you were… possessed? Or something?"

I shrug my shoulders. It sounded unbelievable, even to me. "Yes."

"Well ain't that mighty convenient? You mean to say that you came this far, killing every monster in your path, and now you just decide to stop? After you kill Pap-my brother, you just expect us to become best buddies?" His grin is frozen. "I mean, I know I'm a lazybones, but do you take me for some sort of moron?"

I stand still. His words felt like a slap to the face. They sound so similar to what Chara had said to me I couldn't reply for a moment.

"I… don't."

I give up trying to explain to him.

"Sans…" I don't wait for him to reply. "I'm going to reset everything."

Everything went still.

"…are you serious, kid?" He's trying not to show any emotion, and yet I could still hear the hope in his voice.

I allow myself a small smile. Turning my head to look out the window, I knot my fingers together and try not to fidget. Unsuccessfully.

"Yes. I'm going to change everything."

"What are you planning this time, kid?" He still sounds fearful, still suspicious of my intentions. I tried not to let that sting. Considering what Chara did in this timeline, it was justified. He had a right to be angry, and I should be glad he was giving me a chance to speak at all.

"I'm going to try and… save everyone."

He snorts. "You'll have to pardon me if I don't really believe ya, kid." He shook his head. "Would be great if it were true of course."

"I didn't expect you to." I said nonchalantly. "I just… wanted to apologize, even if I know you won't ever forgive me. I never wanted to hurt Papyrus. Or… anyone else." I smile at him, trying to keep my lip from quivering.

He tenses, and I can see his skeletal hands instinctively clench in his pockets. That bit of orange fabric is poking out again, and it stirs up painful feelings of guilt. I wasn't going to let him have it in the next timeline. It would be where it rightfully belongs, covering the neck bone of the coolest skeleton ever. I smile a little. Papyrus would like that compliment. I would have to remember to tell it to him later.

"…why are you telling me this? Kid, ya didn't have to go through the trouble of facing me again. If you wanted to reset, just reset. No use apologizing for things that won't change. I probably won't even remember, either way." He wouldn't forgive me, as expected. That was okay, I hadn't quite forgiven myself, either.

"…that would have been too easy. I just…" I give him a tired smile. "I'm just sick of running away. It's what led to this whole mess. I wanted to apologize to you, to everyone. You say that you'll forget… but I think you'll remember, even if it's just a little."

"I need someone to remember, sans. I need someone to remember everything I've done, so that I'll never forget. I can't be allowed to forget all the things I've done. I'm afraid that someday… I'll get complacent. I'm afraid someday…. I'll start to think I deserve to be forgiven."

That's right. I'm not above consequences. Chara had been wrong about that.

"I thought you just said it wasn't you."

I pause. "…It wasn't. But I knew what was happening." I laugh bitterly. "I watched them do it, and I didn't fight back until it was too late. So what does that make me?" I shook my head at him. "It wasn't me, but it might as well have. I let them hold my hand." I look at my palm in disgust. It was layered with mixed colours of dust. No matter how much I tried to brush it off, it stuck to my hands. "I let them grab that knife and cover it in dust."

"Kid…"

I shook my head at him. He was trying to comfort me, despite everything. I sensed he was trying to make sense of what I just said, trying to look at me and not see a dirty-brother killer. Even though I was.

He shrugs. "Well… I'm not sure I completely believe you, kid. But you sure are convincing. At least," He tilts his head at me. "You do seem like a different person. Someone who… in a different timeline… could have been a friend?" He looks confused. His memories of the different timelines might be jumbling together.

"Welp. Not sure how it'll work out. But okay kid, if you really do intend to reset, that could be the best thing you could do right now. As for remembering, I only tell certain things from the different timelines, and I don't particularly want to remember what a bloodthirsty psychopath you were in this one, as well as—you know." He winced at the memory. "But this ol' skeleton will try."

I smile at him gratefully. "That's all I ask for… and Sans."

I shiver a bit as I contemplate what I plan to do next.

"What is it, kiddo?"

"If I do something stupid again…kill me on sight. Promise or no promise." I said grimly. _Take that ,Chara_. I thought.

For once, he gives me a sincere wink. "No problem. I guess this new promise cancels out the old one. I'll have to apologize to the old lady. Two contradicting promises are too much for my lazybones. And I don't like making promises."

"Thank you."

I turn my back to him and pick up the knife again.

"—!" I feel the air swirl as gaster blasters rush forward.

"Don't worry." I say calmly.

I willed my soul to manifest in front of me and point the tip of the knife towards it. Lowering it to the ground, I looked for a good angle. I was aiming for one clean strike. Hopefully it wouldn't hurt too much.

I focus on making my hands steady. "Hey Sans." I utter the same words I used when I first entered the hallway. "Don't forget your whoopy-cushion okay? I'll be sure to take your hand and greet you properly this time."

"Buddy, what are you—"

I thrust my hands down with as much force as I can.

"See you later, Sans."

 **" _KID_!"**

* * *

I woke up in a bed of golden flowers.

The light shining from above is making me squint. Tall pillars surround me, countless vines twining around them like snakes. I look to my left and see the entrance to the Ruins.

 _I'm back here again here, huh._ I think dully. Slowly, I get up and brush off flower petals which were stuck to my clothes. I look at the pile sadly, my chest feeling heavy.

 _Bye, Chara._

I turn away and walk quickly towards the Ruins, knowing quite well who I would be meeting in the next room. I grimace. It's not someone I'm looking forward to meeting. Flowey. I didn't know how to face him, knowing who he was—or at least, who he once was. I only know that in a way, he's very similar to Chara, ruthless and merciless. How do I talk to someone like that?

I walk slower, trying to prolong the inevitable. My body is still aching from the fall from the mountaintop. I don't even remember falling anymore. But my body does. There are bruises forming everywhere, but I wasn't worried. Monster food might taste strange, but they had wonderful healing properties. I particularly liked Nice-creams and Cinnamon Bunnies. Of course, nothing beat Toriel's butterscotch-cinnamon pies. I couldn't wait to see her again.

I stop and wait. To my disappointment, Flowey appears as usual, trying to get me to take his friendliness pellets. I dodge them all this time.

"So you know what's going on here, don't you? You just wanted to see me suffer." His innocent face morphs into that sinister expression again. I will never look at flowers the same way. Ever. "Why did you reset, _Chara_?"

I flinch at the mention of their name, feeling unpleasantly surprised. … _How did he know_? I wondered. It seems Sans wasn't the only one who was able to remember the different timelines.

"Why. WHY? We were on our way to real VICTORY. On our way to making up for LAST time."

 _Last time._ I thought. Was he referring to Chara's attempt to eradicate humanity?

"Why'd you have to SCREW it up?"

I stayed silent.

"Hahaha…" He laughs suddenly, His face morphing into an even more distorted image. "Making me watch you act so pure and happy, while I…?"

 _PURE AND HAPPY?!_ I nearly yelled at him. _Is that how I looked like… slaughtering all my friends?_ I realize in horror.

"I KNOW what you're doing." He grins at me knowingly. "You just want to see what it's all like." I'm stunned. "Before we TEAR it away from them."

I want to shout and deny it all. To tell him he was wrong. That wasn't me. I never wanted to kill them. But my voice is stuck in my throat, and I couldn't say anything.

"Genius, Chara." I flinch again at the name. No good memories there. "Well, I'll let you mess around. I know you'll come back eventually." His face. His _face._ I couldn't look away, it was just so terrifying to see that hideous expression framed by golden petals. I wanted to run away, but I held my ground.

"And when that time comes… I'll be waiting for you." Without waiting for me to reply, he slinks back into the soil.

Gritting my teeth, I muster up the courage to retort to the air. "Don't hold your breath." I spit out. But despite that, I was still struck with a fresh kind of worry and terror. Worried I couldn't accomplish what I set out to do. Worried I would screw things up terribly. Terrified I would, in a moment of weakness, allow Chara to come back. Too many things could go wrong.

Petrified, I stand there motionless for I don't know how long, staring at the small patch of earth where Flowey was. I could have stood there for much longer, if it weren't for a big furry hand gently patting my shoulder.

I look up to see Toriel's concerned face peering down at me.

"Are you alright, my child?" She asks me anxiously. I wonder how long she has been standing there, waiting for me to acknowledge her presence. In the other timelines, she has always called out to me first before touching me.

I take one look at her face and throw myself at her. I grab on tightly, and bury my head into her robe. I'm short, so I only ended wrapping my arms around her legs.

"…! Oh dear, what is the matter? Are you hurt anywhere?!" Alarmed, she tried to pry my arms off and take a better look at me. I refuse to budge, but I shake my head at her question. I was just so… so happy to see her again. I hug her fiercely, and seeming at a loss at how to deal with my behavior, she simply laid a hand on my head, while patting my back in a comforting manner.

"I don't know what troubles you, but worry not, my child." She continues gently. "I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins. I'll protect you, little one."

I smiled. The fur on her robe was making my nose itchy, but I didn't care. Tears were threatening to spill out, but I held them back. I was done with crying and being helpless. Seeing her alive and well again, it filled me with determination.

We stayed like that for a while, and I slowly went back to my senses and loosened my grip around her legs. I reach out to take her hand, and she seems surprised.

"Oh… why does this seem… so familiar?" Her face looks confused for a minute, and I feel my insides turn to ice. She _remembers._ "Oh, excuse me. I'm being silly. We've never met, so how could it be familiar?" She laughs it off. "You must forgive this old lady's rambling. It is so nice to meet you."

My insides return to normal.

"Hello m-… Toriel." I almost called her mother again. Better not. I smile at her. "Sorry… about that. Thank you for worrying… about me."

She looks a little shy at my gesture, but very happy nonetheless. "Oh, you're welcome." She beams at me and squeezes my hand. "Why don't you come with me? And I will show you how to navigate the Ruins."

I nod, even though I already know all too well how the Ruins are laid out. Chara had made sure of that. They spent a long time here, trying to gain as much Execution Points as they could to increase their LOVE. I shuddered at the memory. Froggit… Napstablook… Whimsum… Moldsmal… Every last one of them. And also… Toriel.

I squeeze her hand and stare at her. Noticing my apprehension, she looks down at me. "Hmmn? What is it, my child?" She asks kindly.

Trying to fix a trembling smile, I shake my head vehemently at her. I would not think about it. I wouldn't think about how she was gasping for breath before disintegrating into dust. I refuse to. I wouldn't let it happen in this timeline.

I take a deep breath and brace myself for the times ahead.

* * *

 _Pain. Pain is all I feel. I can't move, even though it hurts so much. I want to scream and thrash about, but my body won't obey me._

" _Chara, please… please don't give up!" A deep voice I don't recognize is begging in desperation. "Stay determined… You are the future of humans and monsters…"_

 _ **Determined? Of course I am… Dad. It's because I'm determined, that I have to do this. Why… do you sound so sad? I'm going to get what I want. Don't be sad. Asriel will help me break the barrier and kill all the humans, and we can all live together on the surface. All together. One big happy family.**_

* * *

I woke up to the smell of cinnamon and butterscotch pie.

It's dark, and the quiet tinkling sound of a music box could be heard somewhere. Toriel must have wound it up while I was asleep. I yawn and stretch myself, blinking my bleary eyes. I feel around for the light switch and survey my room. It's very cosy. A small bed tucked into a corner, and a few chests containing toys and clothes. There are also a variety of children clothes and shoes in them. I frown at that. In the other timelines, Chara hadn't really bothered to check around the house, with the exception of the kitchen.

It… must have been the other children, I realize. How… long has Toriel been doing this? I wondered. She must have protected all the other children at some point, and tried to stop them from leaving the Ruins as well, knowing what kind of fate awaited them.

A storm of guilt struck me. I had to leave as well. _How many children has she lost?_

I was already delaying my departure. It had been too tempting to stay for a few days, and listen to all her motherly banter. It was a quiet bliss to listen to her read about snails next to a roaring fire. I was getting comfortable. To be honest, I wanted to stay. To just stay here and live out my days. But that would be selfish of me. Sans, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys… they were still living in desperation. And Toriel as well, though she seemed to be keeping a positive attitude about it.

I didn't know how I was going to free the monsters without giving up my soul. Maybe… I would, should it come to that. But… I tried that, and it didn't work. If my soul got captured, it would simply reset itself. Maybe I would discover a way. I don't know. But I have to try to find out.

It was already the third day since Toriel found me in the Ruins. I didn't want to leave.

The tinkling sound of the music box is soothing, its tune giving me a sense of nostalgia. I look fondly at the slice of pie set out in front of the bed. Its cinnamon and butterscotch. I remember in the last timeline, I said I preferred butterscotch. And she had remembered.

I sighed. If I was being completely honest, the biggest part that was preventing me from staying was that. The fear of her remembering. If she remembered small details as that, someday… somehow… she would remember how my eyes glowed red as I slashed a knife across her chest.

I bury my head in my hands. _Ugh._ I can't seem to stop thinking about it. The face she made when she was dying, telling me she wasn't protecting me, but rather protecting the monsters _from_ me. And she was right.

I slap my cheeks, feeling the stinging sensation clear my head. Now was not the time. I had to move forward. I can't stay here. Much as I want to.

I pocketed the slice of pie, feeling that I would need it on my journey. It was cold out of the Ruins, so I took a striped scarf and a thin jacket from the closet. There wasn't anything thicker, to my dismay. I would have to rely on Nice-Creams to keep warm, then. I tried to remember at what point the Nice-Cream vendor appeared, but my memories were fuzzy, there were so many timelines the events started jumbling in my head. Some stayed vivid, and some faded away.

But I would never be able to forget the deaths. They would haunt me forever, I was sure.

With a heavy heart, I trudge along the hallway littered with pots of water-sausages. It was silent, save for the last few notes of the music box and the sound of a crackling fire. Toriel must be in her reading chair again. I smiled a little as I wondered what kind of snail book she was reading now. Maybe a book about snail-puns? I'm sure the human world had something like that. Maybe if I had the chance I would get it for her.

Wishful thinking. I'm not so deluded as to think I can live with all of them. But… maybe, with a little luck, they'd be willing to let me visit sometimes.

 _Ahh, this is good. I'm planning ahead. Which means I actually think I can get them out from this mountain,_ I muse.

I stop at the stairs leading to the basement. I knew it led to the exit of the Ruins. Toriel had avoided the subject ever since the first day. And knowing what had happened there in the last timeline made me avoid it like the plague. Today, I would have to go down there again.

I hesitate. Last time Chara went down and attempted to escape without Toriel knowing, but had been intervened every time. Maybe, just maybe if I talked to her, and explained… maybe she would just let me go? The thought filled me with hope. If only it worked, then I could avoid fighting her.

But… how would I explain? My brow wrinkled as I frowned. Should I tell her about the different timelines? But that would mean I had to tell her that I… killed her. I shut my eyes.

I can't. I just _can't._ It may be cowardly, but I just can't tell her that. I don't want to see… that fear in her eyes again. The disgust and revulsion that would be directed against me would be too much to bear.

 _So I'll have to lie_ , I think dully. _I'll say… that I want to go home._ That… would be the most logical answer, wouldn't it? Though it couldn't be farther from the truth. I let out a humorless laugh. Truthfully, I didn't have a home to return to. If I could call anywhere home, it would be right here. Next to Toriel, Sans, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys… and living with them would be fun. I could imagine it now.

Toriel would take care of all of us, exchanging puns with Sans and generally eliciting strangled sounds from Papyrus every day. Papyrus would cook the most horrible pasta ever and Toriel would scrunch up her face and offer him cooking lessons while mentally making a note to never let him in her kitchen without supervision. Undyne and Alphys… I don't know if they would like me, but I would try my best to get along with them. Sans would… well he would stay the same old lazybones he was. Chilling at Grillby's, dishing out bad puns, pranking everyone, operating illegal stands and taking way more breaks than legally required.

I open my eyes and the dream fades away. I sighed. Some things were too good to be true.

Satisfied with my plan, I turn on my heel and head towards the living room.

Toriel is there, as predicted, snuggling in her favourite chair, reading a book with a familiar title. '72 Uses For Snails'. I wonder how many times she's read it. It must get boring, reading the same books over and over again. I saw a library once, in the town where I used to live. The shelves reached the ceiling, lined with hundreds and hundreds of books. Maybe if I freed them, I could tell her to go there and read them.

She doesn't hear my approach, seeming engrossed in her book. I walk slowly over to her and tap her shoulder gently. "Mom." I said quietly.

Despite trying to be careful, I ended up calling her mother again the second day I was here. It slipped out as I was helping her with the pie and she was warning me to be careful not to burn myself. Concentrated on my hands, I replied with an "Okay, mom."

I think I saw her blink in my peripheral vision before realizing what I had just said. I nearly dropped the pie.

She was so pleased that I didn't have the heart to say it was an accident. After that, I slipped into my old habits. I actually wanted to call her Mom. But I was afraid the attachment would just make everything harder. Well, it was too late, now. And in general I was happy as well, because it felt right, calling her mother. She was certainly more a mother to me than my previous one.

But I didn't want to think about that right now.

She jumps a little and looks up at me. I keep my hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

"It's …just me." I smile at her. "Sorry… for surprising you."

Readjusting her glasses, she beams back at me. "Ah, it is not a problem, my child. I apologize for not hearing you. Did you sleep well?" She inquires.

"Yes, and thank you for the pie. It was amazing, as always." I pull my sweater down to further conceal my pockets, hoping she wouldn't smell the colossal lie stuffed in them.

"I'm so glad you like it." She seems delighted. "I'm planning on baking snail-pie later, as you haven't tried that one yet." She points to the open book in her hand, indicating a recipe on one of the pages. It reads: 'Snail Pie: Ingredients'.

My smile droops.

"I'm sorry… mom." I gulp, and with a lump in my throat, I continue. "I… have to go."

She blinks at me over her glasses, "Go? Go where, my child? Is there something you forgot outside the house? Somewhere in the Ruins, perhaps?"

I take my hand off her shoulder and reach for her hand. It was going to be so difficult, but I had to talk to her and make her see. Even if it was all a lie, it was for her own good as well. Who knows if Chara might come back? This time, I would leave to keep her safe, as well.

I square my shoulders and smile the best I can, while telling the biggest lie in my entire life.

"I want… to go home."

* * *

Panting, I dodge the fireballs as best I can. I was uncoordinated and clumsy with my movements, unlike Chara. Also, even though I had memory of her attack patterns, my body was relatively new to monster magic.

 _Ugh._ I tripped and landed on my elbow as I side-stepped to dodge a flaming mass coming at my face. It gave way with a resounding crack as my face reflexively scrunches up in pain. But I had no time to nurse my wounds. Quickly, I jump up and away to avoid the next volley of attacks.

"…!" Toriel gasps at the sight of my bleeding arm, and makes a motion as if reaching for me, before drawing her arm back. She keeps her face as hard as possible, determined not to show any emotion.

The plan had not worked.

"Go… home?" She had given me a confused look. "But, my child. Is this not your home now?"

 _Yes._ I wanted to agree with her.

With all the willpower I had, I shook my head once.

"I need to leave the Ruins." I say it without stuttering like I usually do, even though every word tasted foul leaving my lips.

For a moment, the room goes quiet and she doesn't reply. Lowering her gaze to her book again, she closes her eyes in a tired expression. Only the sound of crackling fire fills the room, its glow throwing dancing shadows on the wall. I stare at the moving silhouettes as I wait for her answer.

A giant shadow among the others suddenly stand up. I look back at her in surprise.

She gives me a sad smile. "…I need to do something. Stay here." She instructed.

"..wa—" I try to stop her, guessing what she planned to do, but she was already on the way down the stair, her furry feet making thumping noises as she went.

Making an exasperated noise, I hurry after her. I couldn't catch up though, since she was so much taller than me. My short steps couldn't match her long strides fast enough. By the time I reached the end of the long purple hallway, she was already there, her front facing the door.

I stop a few steps behind her, suddenly uncertain how to address the situation. The way it led to this point… was certainly different than all the previous timelines, but the positions we were taking… it was all dreadfully familiar.

"…You want to leave so badly?" She asks in a quiet voice. "Hmmph."

I wince at her tone. My stomach is clenching uncontrollably, because this conversation… was exactly like the one I had with her before she was killed.

"You are just like the others." I didn't understand before, but now I know she's talking about the other children. It pains me to leave her, but I can't stay. I really want to stay. But I can't.

She let out a sigh as her shoulders visibly slump, seeming to make a decision within herself. _Oh no. No. No please._ I silently beg. _Please don't make me fight you. Please._

"Prove yourself…" _No._ "Prove to me you are strong enough to survive." I shut my eyes tightly. _No. It's happening again._

 _Be-beep._ My soul is being drawn out, the blood-red colour bringing forth unpleasant memories. Small clumps of flame start forming around Toriel, slowly making their way towards me. Her face is unreadable, her normally cheery expression long gone.

"I am not going to fight you, mom." I tell her firmly. Her eye twitches at that, but her face stayed determined. It seems nothing I said could get through. I clench my teeth. No matter what, I am definitely not hurting her.

And so here I am, barely dodging her attacks. I had already eaten through my monster candy (I only took one this time) and I wanted to save the pie for when I get out the Ruins. If I ever got out of the Ruins.

I have already died two times. As I got progressively weaker, her flames had started avoiding my path. But, clumsy as I was, I accidently ran into them. Each time, as my soul got scorched and cracked, I dimly saw Toriel's horrified face before blacking out and waking up in front of Home. This made me hopeful, though the sensation of being burned wasn't pleasant by any means. It was all I could do not to scream before fainting.

I've tried almost everything. Shouting, cajoling, begging… anything to make her stop fighting. But she remains unmoved, with that expression on her face that seems to look through me. I was already exhausted. The flames which I had been dodging with some success came closer and closer, singing the ends of my hair, burning the side of my cheeks.

"…What are you doing?" She asks me, her face showing an instant of warring emotions before returning to its hard mask.

I grit my teeth and shake my head resolutely at her.

"Attack or run away!" She's almost shouting at me, and it feels unnatural to my ears. Toriel never raised her voice.

I keep dodging her attacks, ignoring her.

"What are you proving this way?" Her voice trembles slightly, though her expression remains the same.

 _Nothing. Nothing at all. Only that I refuse to hurt anyone. I am done hurting people._

I briefly rejoice. Finally, I was wearing her down.

"Please, mom. Please…. I don't want to… fight you." I plead on relentlessly, seizing the opportunity.

She turns her gaze away, not meeting my eyes. "Stop… looking at me that way."

"I'm not going to fight you… even if you kill me." I inform her. Well, technically she's already killed me twice, but still.

She gives me an exasperated look. "Go away!"

"… I will." I smile sadly at her. Even though that's not how she meant it, it still stung. But yes, eventually, when everything was over, I did plan to go away.

She continues to avoid my gaze, but I can see that hard mask melting away. The corners of her mouth droop down, and her eyes seemed to soften with sorrow.

As for me, I was already at my limit. Feeling I couldn't withstand the next barrage of flames, I just stood there with my eyes shut and waited for death. Maybe in the next load I could do better.

I brace myself for the incoming attack. I bit down on my lips, determined not to make a sound. It was just going to make her feel worse.

But nothing happened.

 _Huh?_

Slowly, I opened one eye and peeked at my surroundings. The flames were coming at me, but right before reaching, they circled to the side, as if subverted by an invisible force. I glance at Toriel, and she seems… resigned.

"I know you want to go home… but…" She finally deigns to look at me. And the misery in her gaze makes me feel a fresh wave of guilt.

"Please… go upstairs now." I simply shake my head remorsefully in a circle of flames. Would that I could, mom. Would that I could.

"I promise I will take good care of you here." I had no doubt about that.

"I know we do not have much, but…" That wasn't what I was worried about.

"We could have a good life here." A good life, yes. But… your life could be better. A life with new books, a life where you can teach. Teaching is your dream, right? If you could go to the surface, maybe these dreams could be realized.

I'm tempted to say this to her. But I can't. She would not understand.

"Why are you making this so difficult?" She despairs at my persistence.

"I'm… sorry." I can only apologize without giving an explanation. Someday, maybe I could sit down with her again… next to a cozy fire, and tell her everything. But for now, I would have to hold off all my emotions.

"Please, go upstairs."

I shake my head again.

"Ha…ha…" She lets out a hollow laugh. "Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save even a single child."

I stay silent. Little did she know, I was saving her from myself.

"No, I understand. You would be unhappy trapped down here." Her shoulders slump in defeat. "The Ruins are very small once you get used to them. It would not be right for you to grow up in a place like this."

 _No._ I want to tell her. _The times I spent here are among the happiest in my life._

She clasps her hands together. "My expectations… my loneliness… my fear…" Those words squeeze at my heart. "For you… my child, I will put them all aside."

She turns her back to me again, and her shaking shoulders betraying her emotions. "If you truly wish to leave the Ruins, I will not stop you."

My heart leaps. I didn't have to fight her. I nearly jumped with joy. She would _live._

Instead, I just replied with a quiet "Thank you."

"However, when you leave… please do not come back."

These words leave me feeling a little shocked. Perhaps she thought I was inevitably going to die. Well, she was half-right. I _was_ going to die. A lot.

"I hope you understand." She turns back to me with a kind smile, like the ones I used to love. She bends down to embrace me and I throw my arms around her neck. For a while, we stay like that.

I whisper in her ear. "I'm going to see you again, mom." I almost cry. Almost.

She shook her head at me, her fur tickling my face. The smell of cinnamon and butterscotch lingers in the air, making me miss her already. All too soon, she let me go. With one final smile, she bids me goodbye.

"Goodbye, my child."

I watch her go, my eyes never leaving her back until she walks out of my sight.

I turn back to the door before I could change my mind. I had to stay determined. If my plan went well, then I would see her again. Holding on to that thought, I step out the door and continue along the purple corridor. Even though it pained me to leave her, I was experiencing a kind of fierce joy. Because I did it! I managed to spare her. In all the other timelines, I had never been able to do it.

Maybe, just maybe, I could do it. I could free the monsters without killing a single soul. With renewed vigor, I quicken my pace.

Suddenly, I stop. Because I remember what awaited me right before the exit of the Ruins. I clench my teeth together.

Flowey. That scary flower. I really didn't want to face him again. _What would he say to me now?_ I wonder.

 _Maybe this timeline would be different_ , I try to convince myself. Maybe he would leave me alone.

No such luck. Continuing on my path, I curse under my breath as I spot sunlight illuminating a single patch of earth. He was waiting for me, as usual. His innocent face is still in place.

As I approach, his expression turns smug.

"Clever. Veeery clever." I stare at him in stony silence. Frankly, if I could ignore him and walk on, I would. But I had a feeling that wouldn't go over too well. I'm only alive because he still thinks I'm Chara. And I'd like to keep it that way.

"You think you're really smart, don't you?" He continues without waiting for my reply. It seems he likes asking rhetorical questions. "In this world, it's kill or be killed."

I'm surprised, but I keep my silence. This dialogue is completely different from all the other timelines.

"So you were able to play by your own rules." His eyes turn black, pinpricks of light denoting his pupils. It reminded me of Sans. "You spared the life of a single person."

Biting my lip, I stare at him defiantly. _Yes. I did. And I'll spare every one after her._

"Hee hee hee…" He giggles. "I bet you feel really great."

His words make me feel uneasy, all the previous feelings of relief and happiness leaving my body.

"You didn't kill anybody _this time._ " So he does remember. And very vividly too, unlike Sans. My insides turn numb. I was dreading his next words.

"But what will you do if you meet a relentless killer?"

I nearly laughed out loud. _I already have._ Sans was more than relentless. That bag of lazybones had a lot of hidden determination.

"You'll die and you'll die and you'll die."

 _Again, I already have, so many times I can't even remember._

"Until you tire of trying."

 _ **They**_ _did._

"What will you do then?"

Still, I did not reply.

"Will you kill out of frustration? Or will you give up entirely on this world… and let me inherit the power to control it?"

I frown at that. What… did he mean? He could control this world?

For the first time, I open my mouth to ask what he meant. But he cut me off.

His face is growing more grotesque by the second. "I am the Prince of this world's future."

That statement raises even _more_ questions.

"Don't worry, my little monarch. My plan isn't regicide." He smirks even wider. "This is SO much more interesting."

Regicide? Not going to kill Asgore? What on earth is he planning?

As I was sorting out all the confusing things he just said, his face morphs again. If his previous expression was scary, this was _horrifying._ The golden flowers that usually frame his face receded and his head seems to grow, the creepy face towering down at me.

My eyes grow wide and I clench my hands so hard my fingernails bit into my palms and drew blood, but I stand my ground as he lets out a shrieking laugh. I freeze in place.

After a few moments of hysterical cackling, he slinks back into the ground, as if he was never there in the first place. The only evidence of his presence was the echo of his laughing bouncing off the walls.

Similar to before, I stood there for a long time—this time with no Toriel to shake me out of my stupor. It wasn't till I heard the dripping sound of blood leaking from my hands that I start to breathe again. I look at my bloody palms disapprovingly. It wouldn't do to injure myself unnecessarily right now. The monsters would see to that soon enough.

I wipe off the blood and reapply my old bandages. It didn't hurt. Much. I had been through much worse, so this was a scratch in comparison.

My soul felt hollow, all traces of happiness over my small victory gone. Flowey was right, in a sense. I had only managed to spare Toriel. The real challenge was Undyne and Asgore. Could I hope to spare them as well? They wouldn't go easy on me, like I knew Toriel did. I would probably have to die another few hundred times. With Toriel, I was lucky it only happened twice.

 _One step at a time,_ I remind myself. I would figure it out, somehow. I smiled wryly at myself, wondering where all this newfound confidence was coming from.

I square my shoulders and straighten my back. It was time to go.

Stepping forward into the dark tunnel, I exit the Ruins.

* * *

A cold blast of wind hits me in the face as I feel my feet sink into the snow. It felt like icy needles were piercing my body. I grimace. Looks like that jacket wasn't enough after all. The door behind me shuts with a creaking sound and a click. I don't bother trying to open it.

I exhaled noisily, feeling all the tension from the encounter with Flowey leaving my body. My breath produces cloudy puffs of white mist. It was _freezing._ I could already feel my nose dripping. Muttering to myself, I tie the scarf around my head more firmly. Satisfied with my wrapping—and trying to ignore the chill—I survey my surroundings. It was a familiar scene. A single narrow path going straight through a forest of black withered trees. It was eerily silent. If I focused, I could make out a sturdy black branch blocking a portion of the road up ahead. Sans would be there, following my every move.

I had mixed feelings about meeting him again. On one hand, I was excited. On the other, I was afraid. What if he called me a dirty brother killer again?

With a sigh, I mumble the exact same words I told Toriel. However, this time, I was telling the truth.

" _I want to go home."_

But in the midst of the forest of dead trees, nobody heard me.

* * *

 **I'm. Finally. Done. ARGH. It's really late and my head is starting to hurt, so please forgive me for any mistakes.**

 **Also, goat-mom feels. How'd you like it?**

 **7000+ bloody words. I seriously did not intend for it to be so long. If you like it, great! If not, I am so sorry. ; d**

 **I wonder what the word count for the next chapter will be. As long as this one?**

 **Eh.**

 **Probably not.**

 **Don't count on it.**

 **Also, since Sans appears in the next chapter, I can finally make skeleton puns now! Yay ]:-D**

 ***ignores groaning***


	4. An Old Friend and a Good Kid

**I distinctly remember saying the word count probably wouldn't be as high as the previous one.**

 **Well um. This is awkward. Is this what I get for referencing Toby? (Kudos to the ones who caught it!)**

 ***sweats nervously***

 **Ahem. Moving on.**

 **Hello, lovely readers! Glad you're enjoying this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I feel like my SansFrisk shipping tendencies are leaking a bit here, but bear with me.**

 **Also, I'm glad to see you guys share my deep love of skele-puns. ; )**

* * *

After passing by another cluster of trees that looked _exactly the same_ , I stop walking and finally acknowledge the fact that I was in denial.

I was hopelessly and completely lost.

I sighed. "W-w-why do I listen to myself? _'Take a shortcut, it'll be a quicker path to Snowdin—_ g-g-genius idea, Frisk." I muttered darkly under my breath.

It was getting really dark, and I could barely see two feet in front of me. Supposedly, I could backtrack a little, since I had left bloody tracks in the snow behind me. But seeing my body was in shambles and had little to no strength left, I settle for slumping down against a wide tree trunk.

The snow gives way under my weight with a loud _crunch_. There was a thick branch above my head, holding another pile of snow, and it provided a decent shelter from the wind—though I suppose it's too late for that.

I try to control my chattering teeth—to no avail. It was mind-numbingly cold. My jacket had been torn beyond repair by the monster attacks, and I had thrown it away. My scarf I had flung at an Ice Cap in an attempt to distract it before I fled. I had a hard time with him. I couldn't seem to stop staring at his hat. Now all that was left was my striped sweater, and even that had some small rips here and there. My shorts and boots are mostly undamaged though. Wait, scratch that. My left boot is a bit torn.

I close my eyes as I tried to figure out where I was most injured. All the pain I had been ignoring up until now hit me like a truck. _Everywhere_ hurt. _No, no_ , I tell myself. _Some parts are worse than the others, so focus._ Gingerly, I tried to move my legs. A spasm of pain shot up the left one. I wince. Yup, that's one. One of the lesser dogs had gotten too excited when I pet them and their sharp claws had dug a little too deeply into my flesh. I look at the old bandages wound around it. It wasn't helping much. The blood had soaked through it and bled into the snow when I was walking. But it soon froze up, the blood forming a solid layer of crust due to the cold, so I guess I wouldn't be dying from blood loss.

Well, not from blood loss, but probably going to die anyway.

I fumble with my phone, trying to call Toriel for the umpteenth time. She still wouldn't pick up. I sighed. At least I knew she was safe.

Stopping had been a bad idea. I was getting drowsy. The cold seeped into my bones, no matter how much I tried to curl myself up. I couldn't feel my face. It felt like cold little fingers of ice were crawling up my back. My fingers wouldn't move, and I was losing all feeling from my extremities. My head burned, though my skin felt like ice. The pain is causing me to sweat, which freezes as soon as it comes in contact with the air. I try to shift my weight a little to reach for my pockets and the right side of my body _screamed_ at me.

" _O-o-o-owwww._ " I grumble into the darkness. Right. I had forgotten about that. I look at the wound carefully and contemplate as I decide whether or not I would pull out the icicle lodged in my side. Because right after I escaped from Ice Cap, I met his brother—who had an equally mesmerizing hat. Well. Let's just say I ran out of things to throw, and I couldn't run fast enough without taking an arrow to the knee. Or, in this case, an _icicle to the ribs_.

If I wasn't in so much pain, I would have laughed at my own joke. _Ahh, I wish Sans were around so I could tell it to him._

* * *

It turns out he didn't remember.

I did catch him by surprise though, because before he could tell me to turn around, I had already taken his hand. The whoopy-cushion let out its signature fart noise and I burst out laughing. He seemed pleased with my reaction, though he did look a little confused that I turned around before he asked me to. Like all the other timelines, he bids me to go through the widely spaced gate and hide behind the conveniently-shaped lamp. And unlike in the previous one, I happily complied.

I nearly blew it, though. Because when Sans came out with his _skele-TON_ of skelepuns, I almost cried out with laughter. And Papyrus's reaction just made me choke harder. But, other than a few suspicious glances at my stifled giggling sounds, Papyrus largely ignored the lamp.

"NYE-HE-HE-HEH." He left with that booming laugh of his.

Sans, as usual, tells me to go along with his brother's antics. I nod happily, more than willing to cooperate. I smile at the thought of watching Papyrus trying to confound me with his puzzles again. This time, I would get the chance to solve them on my own… hopefully.

I observe Sans closely. His face is still the same—that jolly grin never changing and those two eye sockets still alight with small white pupils. Of course, I knew all too well how scary that face could look, with only one eye socket illuminated by yellow and blue.

"Sans…?" I begin hesitantly.

"Sup, kiddo?" He asks me amiably.

"…Do you… remember?"

He looks at me curiously. "…Remember what?"

"Oh, it's nothing." I said quickly, my heart beating like a drum. _He doesn't remember._

I'm filled with conflicted feelings. I shouldn't… tell him, right? It would be better if he never knew Papyrus died. It would be better if he never knew that I killed almost everyone. It would be better if he knew I never tried to kill _him._ He wouldn't hate me in this timeline. Then possibly, we could get along, and finally be… friends.

 _ **You think you're above consequences, don't you? Hehee.**_

I freeze in place. Chara's voice, like a bell, sounded in my head. I stand there in shock, still facing Sans but not quite seeing him. He's looking at me in slight concern, and seems to be asking me something, but I can't hear him.

My thoughts are panicking and swirling around, waiting for Chara to make their next move. But… nothing happened. Feeling confused, I poke around the space inside my head, looking for them. But… no one was there, except for me. _W-what?_ Did I imagine it? I could have sworn…

"Kid? Pal? Hello…?"

Sans is shaking my shoulder. It seems a lot of people have been doing that lately. I really should stop freezing in place.

I blink rapidly, as if seeing him for the first time.

"Oh, sorry. I was just… distracted."

"Ya sure? Looked like you were scared _sans_ less." He winks at me.

I snort, trying to shake of the little fingers of fear clutching my heart. "Don't worry, I'm going _tibia-kay._ "

He stares at me in silence before letting out a deep chuckle. "You're learnin' kid, you're a learnin'. But you've still got a long way before you _ketchup_ to my level."

I groan. I couldn't win. He was a force too strong for me.

After stumbling through Papyrus's puzzles—and forcing myself to try that cold block of spaghetti—I kept running into monsters. The royal guard canines were a lovable bunch, but their overly affectionate gestures were threatening to kill me, proven by the condition my leg was in. Luckily the stick I was holding before I fell down the mountain came in handy. After just one game of catch they left me well alone. The Ice Cap family though, was a different story.

After ditching Jerry (poor guy always gets ignored), I decided I would take a short cut and hopefully get to Snowdin sooner, since I knew there was a Save-Point and Inn in the town.

Well, look where that bright idea got me.

Gritting my teeth, I attempt once again to reach for my pockets, ignoring the icicle for now. " _U-ughhh._ " I groan. There was only the snowpiece left. I had wanted to save Toriel's pie as long as possible, but it hadn't been an option since a spear had been jabbed into my chest. I'd also run out of Nice-Creams, since they were what kept me warm. I take the piece out and hold it in my hands. It didn't melt, since I was pretty sure my palms were at a lower temperature than it was.

"Y-you know, if I e-e-eat you, I could h-h-heal and this icicle would stop poking me in the ribs and I'd actually h-h-h-have two legs to stand on." I grumble at it.

It doesn't respond, naturally. But I'm sure the snowman could hear me, since he told me to bring this piece to the ends of the earth. What an adventurous snowman. I think we had Snowmen on the surface too, though Frosty wasn't as ambitious as this one.

An image of Chara dropping the pieces of him into the snow and turning him into a pile of mush flits across my mind.

I poke it a little. "Oh, s-s-stop worrying. I'm not g-g-going to break my promise." I sighed and tucked it back into my pocket. Slowly.

As if making fun of my plight, the wind started to grow _colder,_ if that was even possible. A fresh breath of snowflakes hit my face, settling comfortably on my skin. Everything was going numb. I couldn't feel my limbs. It was like they were useless lumps of wood attached to my torso. Closing my eyes, I gave in to the drowsiness. It was a shame, since I had gotten this far, but it seemed I would have to start over from the last save-point. _No more shortcuts this time, Frisk._ I remind myself. As for dealing with the Ice Cap family and Snowdrakes, well. I suppose I'll have to learn what they want from me.

I let my body relax. It feels so numb I almost felt warm. For a moment, I am tempted to just stop here. I think how nice it would be if I never woke up again, not having to see that save-point as I wade through a headache trying to remember how I died this time. The monsters would never be free, but they would be safe from Chara too. Maybe Asgore would finally pull himself together and absorb the souls to breach the barrier. Or maybe not. It wasn't the perfect ending, but at least they wouldn't have to die. Yes, then I could finally take a rest. I was already… so… tired…

…

…

 _ **Giving up already, partner? How disappointing**_ _._

I woke up with a jolt, standing straight up and banging my head against the low-lying branch. The movement causes snow to fall from the upper branches, promptly crashing down on me as I clutch my head in pain.

"Ooooowwww." I let out a groan as I nurse my throbbing head. The other sources of pain are catching up, causing my leg to give way under me and my side to spew fresh blood. The sudden sensation of being buried under cold snow didn't help either.

 _Wait. Cold?_ It shouldn't feel cold, since I was numb to begin with. It's at this point I realize I can actually _feel_ my body. As in, it feels… warm? I can flex my fingers without exerting any effort, feeling the blood flowing steadily through them. Actually, I was…hot. Sweaty, even. As my senses come back to me, I notice the sound of crackling and popping in front of me. But I couldn't see anything since the snow was making me shut my eyes.

"Well, aren't you a lively one." A voice chuckled.

Clutching my side, I use all my strength to push away the snow that I was partially buried under. Sitting across from me is Sans with a pile of hotdogs next to him, casually holding a stick with one attached to it, roasting it over the open fire between us. I blink at him over the flames, the hot glow making my eyes water.

He notices my look. "What? Never seen a skeleton cook hotdogs before?"

"Umm…" I shake my head, attempting to clear the fogginess. "What are you doing here?" I asked in a bewildered tone.

"Making hotdogs. My supply is running out. Bit of a surprise, bumping into you. This is my favourite spot, ya know? What's a kid like _you_ doing here?" His skeletal face is unchanged, but I swore I saw an eyesocket lift up for a moment.

"Um… I got lost." I admitted, blushing a little.

"Well… I guess you're a bit of a _numbskull_ eh?" He shrugs and winks at me.

I laughed, and then thought better of it, since the motion caused small waves of pain to shoot up my side. "If I wasn't in so much pain now, I would find that _humerus._ " He chuckles at my pun, though shooting a wary glance at my grimacing face.

I look at my side carefully. "Oh… it's gone." I murmur softly. The icicle must have melted with the heat. But oddly, the wound was closed and relatively clean, except for the fresh bleeding caused by my sudden movement just now. I frowned. That was strange. Even if the icicle melted, it shouldn't have closed so cleanly. Quickly, I glance at my leg. Fresh bandages were wrapped around it, and upon closer inspection, the wide gash seemed to have been sewed shut. It all still hurt, but overall I felt much better than before. I look at Sans. He avoids my gaze, seemingly concentrated on the hotdog.

"How often… do you come here?" I ask casually.

"Often enough." He replies easily.

"For… _hotdogs_?" I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously.

He shrugs noncommittally. "Skeletons gotta make a _living_ , ya know?"

I gave up trying to press him.

"You're… a terrible liar." I say while chortling.

"Don't know what you're talking about, pal." He shakes his head at me, the picture of innocence. "Now, what do you think of my hotdogs? They're Grillby approved, I'll have you know."

He takes the hotdog off the end of his stick and offers it to me, the scent making my mouth water. "Here ya go, buddy. First one's on the house. Normally it costs 30g, but since I know you I'll let you have it for free. Pap likes em' well enough, but says he prefers spaghetti because they're too spicy. Welp, I guess you could say he doesn't have—" And I watch him carefully because I could it see it coming—

"—the _stomach_ for it."

Dissolving into a fit of giggles, I take the hotdog gratefully. I held it with my sleeves covering my hands, as it was still really hot. Blowing on it, I gingerly take a small bite.

In my current state, it felt like _heaven._ Already, I could feel my body restoring itself. The spiciness of the hotdog made me even warmer, true to its name. I sighed in pleasure, finding a new appreciation for monster food. Just what did they put into their cooking? Magic, maybe? I don't know. Maybe I would ask Toriel one day, as I was pretty sure Sans would just respond with another pun. Not that that was a bad thing.

"It's delicious, thank you." I tell him, before scarfing down the rest of the hotdog. Cautiously, I stretch out my legs. No pain. I twist my torso a little. No pain there either. Happily, I waved my limbs around like an idiot. My body was good as new.

"Wow. First time anyone's been that ecstatic over my hotdogs." Chuckling at my antics, he takes another hotdog from the pile and skewers it before holding it over the fire. "Maybe I should start charging more."

"Don't start _ribbing_ people off." I told him jokingly.

"Aww, kid, don't be _stern-um_ with me now _._ "

We both burst into laughter, and I was wiping tears from the corner of my eyes. After calming ourselves down some, we sat in companionable silence. Full and comfortable, I gaze at the dancing flames. Sighing happily, I smiled into the fire. This was perfect. It was one of those moments that reminded me why I was doing all this. Why I kept struggling like this. It was so nice to hang out with Sans again.

 _ **Except he doesn't know you killed his brother.**_ A taunting voice whispered in my head.

I stop short, my smile freezing on my face. I stop breathing for a minute. It sounded like Chara. But like before, it was gone like the wind. Trying my hardest to search my soul, I still couldn't find anyone. Was I really imagining things? The dancing figures in the flame suddenly looked ominous. If I focused, they looked like monsters from another lifetime, writhing in pain. I turn away quickly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Sans observing me silently, still with that jovial look on his face. Would he still look at me with such friendly eyes, knowing I had killed his brother in another timeline? Probably not. For an instant, I imagine his smiling face is replaced by a different one—still grinning, but in a very different way. I knew if I told him, I might possibly have a bad time.

I close my eyes.

I shouldn't tell him. The way things were now—they were good. He didn't hate me, and I loved being his friend again. The atmosphere from before would disappear forever if I told him the truth. I didn't want to lose it. I grit my teeth. I _didn't_ murder his brother in this timeline, so why should I tell him? It would only bring back painful memories and cause unnecessary animosity, since I didn't mean to hurt a single monster this time round. Heck, I didn't even tell _Toriel_. Except… Toriel didn't know anything about the timelines. Sans did—though he didn't let on that he did.

 _You're a murderer, and you think you're above consequences._

Chara's words from our previous conversation floated across my mind and then I knew.

I was being a hypocrite. Telling Chara I wasn't above consequences and yet trying to cover for myself under the guise of protecting Sans from the truth was shameful. I was just proving them right. And _that_ fact alone grated on me more than anything.

Biting my lip, I threw caution to the wind.

"Sans…?"

"Hmmn?"

"…I killed Papyrus." I blurted out.

His went still.

"B-but not in this timeline!" I said quickly.

"… did you now?" He replies calmly. "And why… are you telling me this, kid? Couldn't be a good move for you." He asks, his face a hard mask.

"I… didn't want to lie to you." I stammer, suddenly feeling small in the face of this short skeleton. "Cha- someone told me… that I shouldn't think… I was above consequences. It's okay if… you hate me now," I continued sadly. "but …I didn't want you to be my friend thinking… that I was a good kid."

He sighed. "What did you _do,_ kid?"

"I…" I was still unwilling to tell him the whole story. "I… killed everyone." My voice came out in small whisper.

He raised a metaphorical eyebrow. " _Everyone?"_

"…Everyone." I affirm reluctantly.

"Huh." He leans back, rubbing his jawbone as if deep in thought. "I find that hard to believe—a little twerp like you, killing anyone." He remarks airily.

"…" I didn't reply to that. I wondered if he knew what human determination was capable of. Monsters were incredibly weak towards it. Well, it didn't matter if you didn't get hit though. Like… _Sans …never did._ I pause in mid thought, realization dawning on me. The slippery skeleton always did know more than he let on.

"Welp. So why are you here, pal? If you killed everyone? Did you just get bored and reset for fun?" His voice is strange. It still sounds light, yet there was a menacing undertone to it.

"You stopped them." I said, before realizing my mistake.

He shoulders sag almost imperceptibly, almost in relief. "Well, glad to hear that lazybones that I am, I didn't let a dirty brother-killer walk away without a fight." I wince at that comment before his pupils narrow at me. "Aww come on kid, I wasn't talking abou—wait. _Them?_ "

Shoot.

"I… I meant me." I shook my head internally, reluctant to discuss Chara. It felt like just _talking_ about them would bring them back.

"Hum." He gives me a disbelieving look, but doesn't press the issue. "Well, buddy. I don't know," he lifts a hand to scratch his skull. "All this is pretty heavy stuff for a skeleton to take in."

He stays silent for a while, contemplating my words. Tension was thick in the air. I purse my lips and resist the urge to run away. No matter what happened, I'd have to accept my fate. If he hadn't come along I would have been dead by now, anyway.

I glance at him worriedly. It didn't _seem_ like he was angry, but you could never really tell with Sans. Until it was too late. A fact I and Chara knew all too well.

"…Sans? Why aren't… you mad at me?" I was digging my own grave, but the uneasiness was clawing at my heart. I'd rather see it coming than being kept on my toes like this.

He gives me a speculating look. I wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not.

Instead of replying to my question, he simply asks me, "Did you do anything for me to be mad at you, buddy?"

"Yes, I did…?" I tilt my head confusedly at him.

"No, you didn't. So far, I've seen nary a monster hurt, and my brother is still waxing on about how lazy I am—though I never pay any attention to it—and I'm here having a swell time being _punny_ and getting my next batch of 'dogs done."

"But," I stared at him. "I _killed_ them all." I was choking back the memories, and utterly bewildered at Sans's reaction to my confession.

"That was then."

"No, you don't understand." I began. "It was—well, it was _cruel._ The way I killed everybody. I was a coward who couldn't face what was in front of me and I let them—" I stop short, catching myself once again. "No mercy at all, even when they didn't want to fight."

"Wow, pal. It almost seems like you _want_ me to get mad at you." He chuckles at my explanation, and for some reason his nonchalance is making me angry.

"Why …are you _like_ that?" I lash out at him, all the bottled-up fear, guilt and frustration pouring forth. "Why don't you shout at me? Kill me? Tell me what a horrible person I am? _You don't get it_ , Sans. You don't get all the terrible things I did. You weren't there. If you knew I what I did, you wouldn't have stopped here …pretending to cook hotdogs." I bury my head in my hands, almost crying. I don't know anymore. I would almost _prefer_ him to be angry at me, instead of the kindly way he was looking at me now.

"But, according to you, I _was_ there." He said jokingly, trying to get me to calm down.

"…" I don't answer him.

He sighs. " _You're_ the one who doesn't get it, kid."

I didn't lift my head. After a few minutes, I hear the crunching of snow as he walks over and sits beside me. Laying an arm over my shoulder, he pats it gently.

"Hey, pal. Lemme ask you a question."

"…" I nod my head mutely, not trusting myself not to blubber if I tried to speak.

"What do you think defines what's 'good' and 'bad'?"

His question catches me so off guard I lift my head and gaze at him blankly.

"Well?" He waits for me to answer.

"That's… easy. Killing innocent beings is bad." I said. I knew that better than anyone.

"But, all the monsters are trying to kill you." He squeezes my shoulder.

I look at him with an exasperated expression. "I'm hardly innocent, Sans."

"Maybe not in the previous timeline." He said admittedly, "but there must've been a point before it all started, didn't it? Did you ever hurt a monster before they were out to kill you?"

I'm… stunned. It sounded like something… _Chara_ had said. "No…" I said slowly.

"Then according to what you said, we're the bad guys." He gives me a smirk. "Do you think Papyrus is 'bad'?"

"No, of course not." I protest.

"But he's trying to kill you."

" _Capture_ me." I corrected him.

"It's all the same thing. You know if he captures you, you'll be sent to Undyne to be harvested for your soul, right? It's the same as sending you to your death."

"B-but…"

"Kid, you're being too hard on yourself. You think of things in pure black and white, 'right' and 'wrong'." He flicks at my forehead and I flinch. "When in reality, there are only shades of grey. Lesser right and lesser wrong. Tell me, pal. What's stopping me from capturing you right now and taking your soul? That would be the 'good' and 'right' thing to do, wouldn't it? We only need one more soul, and we'll finally be able to breach the barrier."

"…Yes." I replied hesitantly. This conversation sounded awfully familiar. 'Right' and 'wrong'. I thought I knew what that was when I faced Chara.

"But you're my buddy, and so far, you've been playing along with my brother and making him the happiest I've seen him in weeks. Also, despite being torn and bloody and weak, you haven't so much as hurt a single Whimsum. If I killed an innocent kid, wouldn't that be 'bad' and 'wrong' of me?"

"But I—"

"Look kid." He sighs. "You keep goin' on and on about what a terrible person you were, and judging by the way you told me, seems like you weren't an overly willing participant." I flinch at that. He was _sharp._ "If you were, you wouldn't be here right now, telling me to yell at you for the things you technically haven't even done. 'Good' and 'bad' really depends on where you're standing, pal. If I killed you right now, the monsters would say it's a good thing. But to me and to you, it would be a 'bad' thing.

"If you killed Pap, I would go after your butt, sure as anything, because he's my brother and prolly the only thing keeping me sane, so losing him to me would be a 'bad' thing. But what if he really was out to get you, and you tried to protect yourself and ended up killing him without meaning to? Who's 'right' and who's 'wrong' then, huh?"

"I… it still doesn't change the things I've done."

"No, it doesn't." He agreed. "That's why you keep on going, kid. You keep on going and try to make sure you don't make the same mistakes. And with a little luck, you succeed." His eye sockets take a distant look. "Or, in your case, you die trying." He snickered.

I snort at him.

"You said before that you didn't want me to befriend you because you weren't a good kid. So tell me, what do you think constitutes as a 'good' kid?"

"Someone… who does all the right things." I mutter.

He looks down at me and laughs. "Ain't no such thing, bud. No living thing ever does _all_ the right things. And as I've explained, how do you know what's the 'right' thing to do? A decision you make can end in ten different ways in ten different times. How would you know which one is the _right_ one?"

I stay silent.

"Answer: you don't. You can only try your best, and live with the consequences. We all do." He smiles at me without humor. "But well, with your resetting abilities, you've been given more choices than the rest of us. You can seek out the best ending. But that power might cause you to keel over, because the more you try to look for the best path out, the more mistakes you make.

"And after all that, you're sitting here and demanding that I dish out some sort of karmic retribution. But I think you're punishing yourself just fine, kid."

"You weren't so …forgiving in the last timeline." I laughingly accused.

"Well, ya did kill my bro, so cut me some slack." He laughs with me, though I can see some dark humor in there as well. "To be honest, if I saw you a week ago, things mighta been different, pal. But I've havin' some weird dreams lately, and they're telling me things I don't want to hear. I thought I was doing what I _had to_ till now, but somehow, even if I don't want to admit it, there's some truth in their words." His raises his hand to his face, as if pinching his forehead.

"Anyway," he continued, "you regret the things you've done. And to me, it looks like you're trying your hardest to do the right thing, even when the monsters are trying to do you wrong. And because of that, you're a 'good' kid to me."

"… I'm not sure I agree." I said finally.

"Haah—buddy, do you think you're the only one who's done unforgivable things? Take Asgore for example, who's already taken 6 human souls. He's a softie who hates violence, and yet he took their souls anyway, because he needed to give hope to all us monsters. I used to call it a 'necessary evil', but was it really?" He spoke as if talking to himself for a moment.

"No good answer to that." He finally shook his head and gives me a hard stare. "And I'm not squeaky clean, either. You don't see me keeping up at night worrying about it."

I glance at him sideways. His face is illuminated by the firelight, and the dark lines under his eye sockets are blatantly apparent. "Don't you?" I say softly. He was lying, of course. Because in the last timeline, he looked like the picture of despair, cursing me for having the power to reset his whole world.

He inhales sharply. "Welp. You got me. Yeah, I _do_ have mixed feelings about you, kiddo. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sayin' what you did was right or anything, and I'm not exactly happy about the thought of my bro dying. But I'm trying, just like you are, to do the right thing. I've got things I ain't proud of, just like you. Just like everyone else. But at some point, you've gotta forgive yourself."

"…have… you?" And once again, I render him speechless.

"… Not yet," he admits, "but I'm getting there."

"Will you… forgive _me_?" I ask him quietly. I'm leaning against him now, my head tucked into the corner of his neckbone. I feel his head swivel to look at me, but I avoid his gaze, staring blankly into the firelight.

"Well, not sure if it counts if I can't even remember you doing it, kid."

I shake my head. "Will you?" I repeated.

"…I'm not sure I need to, pal." He said, "Since the way I see it, we're pretty even."

I take my head away from his shoulder to stare at him. "Why's… that?" I ask curiously.

"Well, I got you to reset, didn't I? Pretty sure I must've given you hell for you to do it. And now that you're here, it dun' seem like you're planning to reenact the previous timeline. Plus," He shrugs sheepishly. "Also, I might or might not have thought about killing you when you walked through that door."

I smiled. "You should have."

"Now now. Stop _skulking._ It's not attractive." He remarks cheerfully. "I guess it was a good move, huh?"

"I hope it was." I try to assure him. "And… thank you, Sans." He shrugs. We sit like that for a while, the comfortable atmosphere coming back as to what it was before. I… still wasn't sure if I deserved to be forgiven… but what Sans said had given me strength. I was trying my best. I hadn't hurt anyone. And he had forgiven me, kind of. Though, in the other timeline, I'm not so sure he would have done the same thing.

It didn't matter though. It was a great weight off my shoulders. Finally, I could have someone keep an eye on me. I was so scared until now, because nobody knew what Chara was capable of, and I didn't know anybody strong enough to stand against them. If they came back, Sans would stop them again, I was sure of it. I just needed to remind him of his promise.

"Thank you for stopping me in the last timeline, Sans." I said suddenly, remembering I never thanked him for that.

"No problem, pal." Grinning slyly at me, he asks, "Did I give you a bad time?"

"… Yes… and… I got _dunked_ on." I chortled, remembering the stunt he pulled when Chara tried to trick him.

He chuckles. "Sounds like something I would do." He turns a bit somber. "Man, you must've been a _really_ bad kid, to get _my_ lazybones moving."

"… I was, more than you know." I admitted. _More than you will ever know._

"Also, you made a promise, Sans."

He looks at me quizzically. "I did?"

"Yeah. You promised me…" I looked at him grimly. "…that if I ever started doing anything stupid again, you would kill me _on sight_."

He held up his hands, as if motioning for me to slow down. "Whoa, whoa. Find it hard to imagine I'd promise you something like that, buddy. Since I already have this one other promise goin' on… and it kinda—"

"It cancels out that one. You told me so yourself. Keeping two promises at once is too difficult, right?" I look at him knowingly.

"Well, uh, since it was in another timeline, and I don't even remember making it…"

"You _promised._ "

He threw up his arms in exasperation. "You're asking me to kill my _friend._ "

I'm touched by that. After everything I've told him, he still considers me a friend.

"Sans…" I said, trying to reassure him. "If I suddenly start holding a knife instead of a stick, and my eyes start glowing red, I won't be your _friend_ anymore."

"…"

"You were much more willing in the other timeline." I commented.

"Me and him are different, kid." He snaps. "Just like you are not what you did in the last timeline—no matter how much you seem to insist on it. People are always changing. Can you say that you and I are exactly the same as we were in the previous reset? Or even a week ago? Are _you_ the same person you were a week ago?"

I keep quiet. _No. No, I was not._

He looks at me smugly. "Thought so. Anyway, I like my other promise much better, since I know what team you're playing on right now."

"But… what if I switch teams?" I said wonderingly.

He simply looks at me. "Kid. You got an icicle lodged in your side with a bad leg and almost froze to death. If you wanted to switch teams, I would think you'd have done it earlier and save yourself some pain."

I winced at the memory. He had a point. If anything, this talk with him had only made me _more_ determined.

"Okay, but promise that you'll stop me…Not _kill_ me," I said hastily, seeing the look on his face. "But just stop me, okay? If I ever… lose myself again."

He exhales gustily, his bones rattling loudly. "Man… I'm getting my work cut out for me. What with all that talking and acting like an adult, keeping _two_ promises at once, and generally keeping an eye out for Pap, I'm gonna need _at least seven_ times the legally required amount of breaks." He rolled his pupils at me.

I giggled. "Papyrus will be mad."

He winks at me again, with that accompanying shrug. I crouch nearer to the fire, warming my hands contently against the flames. I notice the stick laying on the ground. Picking it up, I turn it over in my hands, inspecting it with mild curiosity. It was very sturdy, considering the sharp teeth of the lesser and greater dogs. Again, quiet reigns over the small campsite. But this time, it's him who breaks the silence.

"You're a strange kid, you know that?"

"…because I can reset time?" I poke at the fire with my stick, dislodging a few burnt branches. Sparks flew in the air.

"Nah, though that too, I guess. What I mean is, anybody else in your position would have been crying their eyes out already, with all the dying an' all. Heck, I've seen adult monsters bawl at stubbing a toe."

I keep poking the fire, watching the flames dance in tandem with a strange unheard rhythm. I waited patiently for him to continue.

"I guess what I'm saying is, why didn't you ever cry out for help?"

My hand holding the stick stiffens, and I force myself to continue. "Because it never worked." I replied, keeping my voice light as possible.

"Huh?"

I sighed. "It didn't work, Sans. Crying… doesn't help. It didn't help me… on the surface, and it didn't help me in the Underground, either. So… I stopped crying."

He watches me silently as I continue my fruitless effort of poking the fire. Mostly I was trying very hard to keep my hand from shaking. Unpleasant memories sprang forth, as if coming from the hearth itself. I jabbed at the images ferociously, as if I could make them go away with force.

"…You're not alone, you know." He says so softly I could barely hear him.

I don't look at him, and stare as hard as I can at the fire, trying to convince myself the watering of my eyes was caused by the hot flames.

"I've… always been on my own. I'll be alright." I tell him tonelessly.

I think he shook his head. "Nobody ever makes it alone, kid. Not me. Not Asgore. Not even you—though you made it pretty far."

I smiled bitterly. "Maybe, but nobody ever came for me." _That's not true._ I silently remind myself. _Toriel did. Sans did. Papyrus did. And look where that got them?_ "So I guess I'll have to try and be the first, eh?"

"Hmmph."

 _Thwap._ The sound registered before the pain did. And a moment later, I was clutching my head again, tears pricking my eyes.

"Ooowwww." I groaned, holding my head and glaring at him. He was holding his palm straight, looking mighty pleased with himself. "What… was _that_ for?"

"For trying to be an adult when you're just a brat." He sighed, reaching out a hand to ruffle my hair. "Man, you're such a _kid_. Ya don't expect the rest of us to sit idly around while you do all the heavy lifting, don'tcha? I mean, much as I hate doing anything, I wouldn't be able to face my cool bro if he knew I was letting a child run around trying to save our butts."

I frowned at him. "Bu—"

"No _butts._ " He grinned, keeping his hand on my head. Leaning in closer, he gives me a dead-eyed stare. Literally. "Look here, buddy. If you need help, ask for it. There's probably people who care about you more than you think. Got a problem? Just say it out. I'm not a mind-reader."

I silently disagreed to that, but… he had a point. Slowly, I nod my head.

Seemingly satisfied, he leans forward even more to knock my forehead with his. It wasn't a gentle knock.

"OWWwwww." I resist the urge to curse at him as stars danced around my field of vision. " _SANS_." I wailed at him.

"Huh?" He's grinning at me mischievously, as if he didn't almost crack my skull open. "Don'tcha know that's how skeletons give encouragement? Don't be so _marrow-_ minded, kid."

Pressing my palm against my forehead, I stifle the urge to laugh. "You're unbelievable." I grumbled.

"I happen to think I'm _sans-sational,_ thank you very much." He shrugs again. "But I have _no-body_ who appreciates my _punny-bones._ "

I threw a snowball at him.

He catches it deftly in his finger-bones. "Now, now. Don't let it _get under your skin,_ pal."

Defeated, I trudge back next to him and slump against his shoulder. "You're… a… _bonehead_ , that's what you are." I mutter darkly. He chuckles at my expression.

I yawn sleepily, the day's events finally taking their toll on me. Sans pokes my cheek with a fingerbone, telling me to go to sleep. "You're gonna want to catch some zzzs, kiddo."

Blinking bleary eyes, I ask him drowsily, "what about… you?"

He seems offended. "Nah, sleeping right now would take up my napping time tomorrow. I'm technically working right now." I didn't notice before, but the pile of hotdogs had magically shifted over to our side of the fire. I frown, trying to remember when he did it. He moved fast for a skeleton.

Picking up another hotdog to skewer, he nudges me. "Close your eyes, pal. Papyrus probably has a few more puzzles for you tomorrow, and I don't want you to be driftin' off during his explanations."

Obediently, I close them. His jacket smelled musty, but I didn't care. It was warm.

"…Hey Sans?" I murmur, my voice dropping into a slur as drowsiness overtook me.

"Yeah?"

"How much… do you actually remember… from… the other… timelines?" I'm struggling to keep awake, the sound of the crackling flames drifting further and further away.

"…" He was silent for a long time. And by the time he did say something, I was already too far gone, his words sounding like a whisper from a dream.

"... _More than I'd like to, kid."_

* * *

When I woke up, Sans was gone. The fire was long gone, but the smoldering embers still gave out a good amount of heat.

I had a bit of trouble getting up though, since I was wrapped very tightly in a bundle of blankets, my arms and legs trapped in a cocoon. A hot dog was balancing precariously on my nose, with my head resting against a fluffy pillow. It was warm, but I felt a bit like a caterpillar.

Laughing and mildly cursing him for pranking me so early in the day, I wiggled and rolled over till one of the corners of the blanket got snagged on a tree root and the whole bundle gave way. Brushing off snow from my clothes, I rolled my eyes at the mess. Nearby, there was a small plate with another hotdog and a nice-cream placed on it, along with a note.

 _You got OWNED, nerd. –sans._

Bursting into laughter, I fold the piece of paper neatly and tuck it into my pocket. _I'm so going to get him for this. It is ON._

I exhaled. It still felt cold, to some extent, but the hotdog from last night was still in effect, it seemed. I smiled to myself. I was still hopelessly lost, but my prospects were a lot better than yesterday. Pocketing the hotdogs and the nice-cream, I turn around and survey which was the best way to proceed.

Something half buried in the snow caught my eye. Curiously, I walk closer to it, only to discover another hotdog. This was one raw, though. Attached to it was another note. Before reading it, I saw _another_ hotdog. And another and another. Leading further and further out. It was a trail.

Bewildered, I read the note.

 _You better show up for Pap's puzzle today, or I'll have a_ _ **bone**_ _to pick with you. He's been worried sick, wondering where you were. By the way, been hearing about some trouble with the Ice Cap family. Here's some advice. Either ignore their hats or steal em'—though you didn't hear it from me. Buttering em' up only makes it worse._

 _Snowdrake isn't as_ _ **punny**_ _as I am, but give em' some laughs and they'll leave ya alone._

 _P.S. Snowie told me to say thanks for not eating it._

 _Leave the blankets and pillow there, pal. I'll pick em' up on my next visit._

 _Also, I seem to have lost my hotdog stash._

 _Catch ya later, nerd. –sans_

Chuckling, I fold this note as well, cramming it with the other stuff into my pockets. He was still a terrible liar.

After cleaning up the mess and stacking the blankets and pillow neatly in a pile, I turn around skipping to follow the hotdog trail, picking them up as I went along. Humming a familiar tune, I make my way through the forest of withered trees.

The surroundings were gloomy and morose, and yet I was happier than I had felt in years.

* * *

 **Well? Did you find it…** _ **humerus**_ **?**

 **Aww, don't let it** _ **rattle your bones.**_

…

 **Guys?**

…

… _ **Guys**_ **?**


	5. A Broken Promise

**Hello, everyone! Thank you for being patient. This chapter was difficult to write, and I kept erasing and adding to it over the days. It's also filled with flashbacks, so I apologize if the pacing gets really choppy for you.**

 **Also, thank you for the reviews and kind words (all the skele-puns tickled my funnybones)! It makes me glad to see you're enjoying the story. : )**

 **I recommend playing the soundtrack in the Waterfall area and Memory when reading through this (excluding the first few parts with Papyrus). Just a suggestion.**

 ***Insert appropriate disclaimer***

* * *

It was getting foggier and foggier the further I went from Snowdin. Munching on a nice-cream, I felt my body warm up, despite the icy surroundings. A random splashing sound could be heard now and then, since wolf-man was still dutifully chucking ice into the river. If I focused, I could see the vague outline of the cube floating by between the trees. I wonder how long he's been doing that. And… more importantly, where was the ice coming from?

I file the thought to an already long list of questions in the back of my mind. Perhaps one day I could ask Toriel for the answers. The underground was always a mysterious place to me. How did such different environments and climates exist so close to one another under a giant mountain? Maybe even the monsters didn't know.

I keep trudging on, the snow crunching loudly under my feet. I can barely see past my nose now. I squint at my feet, trying to see if I was still on the path. I didn't trust myself not to get lost again. If I remembered correctly, Papyrus should be appearing right about—

"HUMAN."

Ahh, speak of the devil.

This is going to be another challenge.

* * *

"YOU'RE BACK AGAIN?!"

I smile sheepishly at him, even though I know he can't see me. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I escaped. I tried to find you, but the house was locked." I say apologetically while holding out his note.

"AH, YOU DO NOT NEED TO APOLOGIZE. IT WAS REALLY MY MISTAKE. I SHOULD REALLY UNLOCK THE FRONT DOOR NEXT TIME. BUT WELL, I'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF DOG VISITORS LATELY AND THEY KEEP STEALING MY SPECIAL ATTACKS. THOSE MEDDLING CANINES."

Stifling a giggle, I wait patiently for his next words. I didn't know how, but I needed to convince him to let me continue on to Waterfall. Sans was nowhere to be seen, but then Papyrus really didn't mean any harm. I had already been captured two times, after all. The bars of my prison were, once again, too widely spaced and I had left the gara—ahem, I mean _capture zone_ —with relative ease.

"Papyrus, I really need to—" I start to say, like all the previous times.

"NO. I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE TRUE REASON WHY."

I raise my eyebrows at him. "You… do?"

"YES. YOU…" I see his silhouette cross his arms over his chest, head nodding furiously. "JUST MISS SEEING MY FACE SO MUCH."

Like the first two times, I struggle to keep my face straight. The skeleton really did say the most unexpected things. But he was right though. I _did_ miss him, much more than I'd like to admit. Chara had not been much for conversation and I felt like they didn't have a sense of humour.

Reigning in my mirth, I nod my head remorsefully at him. "That's right."

He sighs audibly at my response. "I'M NOT SURE I CAN FIGHT SOMEONE WHO FEELS THIS WAY." My heart leapt at those words, just like it did with Toriel. _I wouldn't have to fight him! And I didn't even need to die a few times! Well_ , technically I got some injuries, but the save-point in the middle of town solved that problem easily.

"BUT, MOSTLY," he continues on. "I'M GETTING REALLY TIRED OF CAPTURING YOU." A small chuckle escapes my lips. The plan had worked well.

The first time (in this timeline) I encountered him, I got cornered rather fast. Despite his non-threatening demeanor, Papyrus was _strong._ Not as strong as his brother, but tough nonetheless. I wondered why Undyne wouldn't let him join the royal guard. Despite shouting hints at me all the way through his attacks, I still had a hard time dodging his bones.

Gradually, I got backed into a corner. The last thing I remember was blacking out due to sheer exhaustion by jumping around so much.

When I woke up, I fully expected to see the save-point again, spinning on its own invisible axis. But to my surprise I saw a wooden roof over the top of my head. Nearby was a bowl full of kibble, a bed too small to sleep in and a note from Papyrus.

Thoughtfully, I fingered the note and tried to imagine ways to escape him. It seemed impossible. However, since he hadn't killed me when he had the chance, maybe I could wear him down by trying to escape again? I didn't think Toriel would spare me, but she had. It was worth a shot. I couldn't stay here. If Papyrus's note was any indication, Undyne would be coming soon, and I felt I would have a very different reception from her.

"OKAY. I GUESS I'LL ACCEPT MY FAILURE." He sighs resignedly.

Not saying anything, I run towards him and give him the biggest hug I can manage. Due to his height, the top of my head reaches only his waist. Feeling almost giddy with elation, I let out a happy chuckle.

Seeming surprised but very pleased, he pats my head with a gloved hand. "NYOO-HOO-HOO." He says woefully. "I CAN'T EVEN STOP SOMEONE AS WEAK AS YOU. UNDYNE'S GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED IN ME."

I keep silent, feeling sorry for him.

"I'LL NEVER JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD…" he continues on sadly. "AND MY FRIEND QUANTITY WILL REMAIN STAGNANT!"

Shaking my head vigourously at that, I look up at him. "Then… can I be your friend?"

Looking a bit shell-shocked, he replies, "R-REALLY?"

I smile at his agitation. He really was a harmless skeleton. "Yes! I think…" I pause, remembering the compliment I wanted to tell him. "You're the coolest skeleton ever!"

A strange blue colour covers his cheekbones and I stare at him curiously. It looked like… he was… blushing? _A skeleton can blush?_

"W-WHAT? FLIRTING?"

I blink at him confusedly. What did he just say?

"SO YOU FINALLY REVEAL YOUR ULTIMATE FEELINGS FOR ME."

 _Oh_ , I realized. A blush of my own creeps up my cheeks. Feeling ultra-embarrassed, I try to correct his misunderstanding. "W-wait Papyrus, I-I didn't mean—"

"WELL, I'M A SKELETON WITH VERY HIGH STANDARDS." He moves along at his own pace, totally ignoring my red-faced pleas. Ahh, it was no use explaining it to him. I don't think he even knows what flirting is. But then again, neither did I. So I suppose I should just play along.

"Ahh, umm, well…" I stutter, wracking my brain for an appropriate response. "Uh… I can make… spaghetti!" I blurt out.

Well, it was true. I do know how to make spaghetti. The instant kind. When you're home alone all the time, you pick up a few things.

In response to my half-lie, he clutches his head with his hands. "W-WHAT? OH NO. YOU'RE MEETING ALL MY STANDARDS!" I resist the urge to laugh at his expression. "I-I GUESS THIS MEANS I HAVE TO GO ON A DATE WITH YOU…?"

"Uh…" I start shaking my head in alarm. "No, actually—"

"LE-LET'S DATE LATER! AFTER I PREPARE MYSELF!" Again, he cuts me off. I bury my head into his costume in total embarrassment, feeling sure I could hear Sans howling in laughter somewhere. I mentally made a note to give him the stinkeye later.

Dating… what do you do on a date? I didn't even know. I know it's what couples do. I've only ever seen it on TV. They hold hands, talk and… kiss?

I banged my head against his kneecap, clearing all weird thoughts away. He looks down at me in alarm, but I ignore him. Skeletons don't have lips, so I should be fine. Also, maybe dating meant something different to monsters. Or at least, I hope it does. I love Papyrus and all, but umm… more as an older brother, maybe.

My head hurt. But in a completely different way from before.

I'm going to date a skeleton.

Well, I suppose it could be worse.

* * *

" _H-Hey! Are you alright?" Low and gentle, a soft voice rang in my ears. A small furry paw, similar to Toriel's, was shaking my shoulder. It smelled sweet, and oddly the stuff I was lying on felt incredibly soft._

 _Disoriented, I blink at the face peering down anxiously at me. A… goat? Huh? Why was I alive? Was I dreaming? That must be it. "…I'm… alright." I reply him, trying to focus my blurry vision._

 _He breathes a sigh of relief at my response. "You fell from pretty high up. What's your name?"_

 _Confusedly, I reflexively reply him, still not quite believing that this wasn't a dream. There's a goat talking to me. A goat boy wearing clothes._

" _Chara."_

 _He smiles, and I think it's a good expression on him, though it puzzles me how goats can smile._

 _"Chara, huh? That's a nice name, my name is…"_

* * *

 _Ugh. Magic is just NOT fair._ I was grumbling to myself as I dodged the magical spears sprouting like unwelcome bamboo shoots from the ground. What made it worse was I was running in an open-air maze, which meant a miss-step would cause me to drop down into a sheer abyss of nothingness.

At least, I _hoped_ nothing was down there.

Just when I thought I finally escaped the spears shooting up from the ground, I was cornered again into a dead end. I gave a tired sigh, mentally drained. _Well, this is it. Again._

Undyne strides towards me leisurely, knowing I had nowhere to run. Her every step makes loud clanking noises due to her armor. With one eye glowering at me and a spear in hand, she made for a very intimidating figure.

I slowly stepped backwards, trying to prolong the inevitable. Needless to say, I was beyond shocked to feel the ground giving way below me, plunging me to my death.

* * *

" _Hey Chara, what kind of stories do you have on the surface? Is it more interesting than ours?" He asks me, ears twitching now and then with his excitement._

 _I smiled for a bit. "Well, actually your stories sound a lot like our fairytales."_

 _His ears perk up even further. "Really? But I've heard all your fairytales! About mermaids and princesses and poison apples. Are there any good ones about adventures?"_

 _My face scrunches up, trying to remember. "Umm… well. There was a human called Indiana Jones… but it's not really a fairytale…" Asriel listened eagerly, soaking up all the details as I regaled him with all of Indiana's adventures. Sadly, I didn't know each one, so my story only came together with bits and pieces._

" _Golly, that was exciting! I never hear any good stories anymore." He grimaces. "All mom ever reads me now is how to make everything with snails." I chuckle softly at his expression._

 _Glancing at me shyly, he poses another question. "W-what about your story, Chara? What was it like living on the surface?"_

 _My face froze as I felt hatred blooming in my chest. I grit my teeth as I reply him. "It… wasn't anything fun." I left it at that, not wanting to discuss it further. Clutching at my locket, I look away from him._

" _O-oh. I'm sorry, Chara." He seems abashed. "Please don't be mad." He pleads gently._

 _Softening at his tone, I reply him hastily. "It's not your fault, Azzie. Don't worry about it."_

 _Suddenly, he brightens up. "Hey! I know!"_

 _I look at him curiously. "What is it?"_

" _Let's make our own adventure!" He stands up excitedly. "Just like the ones Indiana Jones had!"_

 _I laugh at his enthusiasm. "Okay, what do you have in mind?" He had a strange way of making me feel better._

" _Let's go look for stuff for making a dungeon!"_

 _Laughingly, I let him take my hand and drag me to our room._

* * *

Well, I thought I was plunging to my death. But the familiar sensation of lying in a bed of golden flowers greets my senses as I wake up. With groggy eyes, I give my surroundings a cursory glance.

It seems I was in a… garbage dump.

I wrinkle my nose. There wasn't a pungent odor, like human trash tended to give out, but the thought of wading through it still gave my stomach cramps. If I stepped off my platform, I would be waist deep in water, and who knew what lurked beneath the murky depths. More fish monsters who would gladly rip my legs off, likely as not.

Glancing at the distant platform, I notice a spinning point of light. A save-point. Well, that would make things a bit more bearable. Now I just had to get out of here.

* * *

" _Azzie? Are you sure?" I glance at him worriedly. "That's your favourite music box."_

 _He grins at me. "It's okay! We have to have a puzzle before we make the entrance to the secret room!" He keeps rummaging through his chest drawers, throwing obscure things higgledy-piggledy all over the floor. Mom was going to scold us later._

 _Finally, he holds up a medium sized glass marble, blood red in colour. I gave it to him for his last birthday, after I found it in the garbage dump. Well, it's strange that I gave him garbage for his birthday, but there wasn't any gift shops or anything, so it couldn't be helped._

 _He holds it up for me to inspect. "Hehe, this is my treasure, you know." He says cheerfully. I smiled at that, happy that he liked it so much even now._

" _That's why…" he continues with a twinkle in his eye. "…this is going to be our legendary artifact!"_

* * *

I was in the middle of a dilemma.

"H-help!" Monster Kid cried out at me, similar to the previous timeline. I would have willingly helped him, except Undyne was in front of me. He was hanging off a ledge between us. If I stepped forward to help him, I would no doubt find a spear stuck in my back.

"Dude, what are you doing?!" He shouts at me, seeing my hesitation. He's holding on with his head, since he had no arms. In my eyes, he's slowly slipping, his body edging closer and closer to the abyss below.

 _Ugh._ I lunge forward, grabbing on with my hands. Quickly, I hauled him up. As soon as he was safely standing on the bridge, I let him go, shoving him carefully behind me. Resigning myself to my fate, I shut my eyes tightly as the sound of Undyne's clanking armour approached me. I wince slightly as I hear the familiar sound of a magic spear forming.

 _Please make it quick, please don't let it hurt too much._ I plead silently.

The clanking sound pauses, and I hear a small curse of frustration. The pain I was bracing myself for didn't come. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I let out a gasp.

Monster kid was standing in front of me. His small frame was trembling slightly, but he stood his ground nonetheless. "H-Hey! I-if you want to hurt them, you'll ha-have to get through me!" His tail is thumping nervously on the ground, even though he was shouting bravely at the towering figure in front of us.

I was afraid for him, not sure if Undyne would hurt him. Actually, I'm sure she wouldn't—she actually took Chara's attack for him the last run. But if he was caught helping me knowing I'm a human, he could be accused of treason. I couldn't let him do that. He was too innocent for that. Or actually, I don't know. What if she didn't care in this timeline? She might justify injuring him a little to capture me.

"W-wait!" I say desperately. "H-he doesn't know what he's talking about!" Undyne's tracks start to slow. I pull at Monster Kid's tail, trying in vain to get him to step aside. Even though he was a master of tripping randomly, he was surprisingly hard to budge. "Please, please get out of the way!"

He shakes his head at me fiercely. "No way! I can't leave my friend behind!" _Argh! Why, why were the monsters like this?!_ I thought despairingly.

Undyne was holding the spear raised over her head, coming closer and closer. I could hear Monster Kid gulp in front of me, trying to contain his fear. Her steps freeze midway. Armor clattering almost in frustration, the spear in her hand disappears. Shooting the evil-eye at me through her helm, she turns on her heels and strides off.

Oh, maybe she wasn't such a bad person after all.

Almost a full minute passes before we both collapse in relief.

"Don't ever… do that again." I said through clenched teeth at him. "I thought we were gonna die!"

He gives me a quivering smile. "Aww, dude. I couldn't let my first human friend go like that! What kind of monster would I be then?" Unwillingly, I smile at the irony. "Hey, help me up."

I pulled him to his feet and gave him a hug. "Thanks, kid." I snorted a little, because I was starting to sound like Sans.

"Heehee, but you're a kid too!" He giggles and nuzzles his cheek against mine. "If I had arms I would hug you back. But you're welcome."

* * *

" _Legendary artifact? What's that?" I give him a confused look._

 _He chuckles at my expression and holds up the red orb so I could see it better. "You know! Like the ones Indiana Jones always gets after braving an extra dangerous dungeon! Like a treasure!"_

" _O-ookay." I say, amused. "What ideas do you have for a dungeon? Like ones with real knives and traps?" I feel a bit excited at the prospect._

 _He looks shocked at my suggestion. The big baby. "O-of course not! I was thinking like… puzzles and things, you know! Nothing too dangerous, or mom will get mad." He says nervously, noting my look of disappointment._

 _I sighed. "Sure."_

 _Later, we arrived in the cool cavern hallway with water leaking from the ceiling. Azzie had a name for it. The Rain Cave, he called it. He really resembled our Dad like that. They were both terrible at naming things._

 _He was struggling with some rocks and I went forward to help him. "What are these for?" I huffed and puffed a little as we lifted the heavy stones to the dimly illuminated patch in the middle._

" _They're… going…huff… to be statues of us!" He panted. We set the final load down and I could see the two piles dimly resembling two figures huddling together. "It's where the puzzle starts!"_

" _Umm…" I pause, wondering how to not rain on his parade. "They don't…uh… look much like us." I suppress my laughter._

"' _Course not." He said haughtily. "We haven't made the finishing touches yet!"_

 _Lifting up the bag with our treasures, he takes out two pairs of a chisel and hammer. He hands a set to me with an expectant smile. I knew what he wanted us to do, then. I sighed. It was all rather troublesome, but how could I say no to that face?_

 _When we were done we were soaking wet, and there were two crudely made statues in middle of the hallway. They were sitting side by side, looking a little forlorn as the water dripped and trickled over them, huddling together as if trying to escape the rain. Asriel's statue had little horns poking out of his head, a hand with a hole in the middle, as if holding something. My statue was simpler, with a plain stroke representing a smile on my face and a heart shape roughly carved on my chest._

" _They look great!" He smiles in satisfaction. His furry white face is covered with dirty smudges from working on the statues, and unconsciously I examine my palms as well. "Oh, but they look kind of sad, don't they?"_

 _I nod my head in agreement, before remembering something. "Wait here." I told him before rushing off._

 _I came back with a large umbrella from the next room. Dad had placed a few there for monsters to use whenever they needed it to traverse Waterfall. There were a lot in the basket, so I'm sure nobody would miss one._

 _I walked over with it and stuck it in the hole of Asriel's statue. It instantly looked better. Instead of pitiful little kids cowering in the rain, it was like he was holding an umbrella over us, as I whispered a secret in his ear. I smiled at the sight. The water hitting the roof of the umbrella gave out a calming pitter-patter sound._

" _Oh, that's great! Now I can put this here." Rummaging through his bag, he takes out the music box and winds it up, placing it behind the two statues, safe from the rain. The tinkling sound of music fills the cavern, giving it a nostalgic feel._

" _Okay, but what does tha—" I start to say before he holds my hand and drags me to the next room._

" _Come on, come on!" He shouts excitedly._

 _He drags me past an old piano, and into a secret room. It was kind of like our secret base. When Azzie and I got bored or got scolded, this is where we would disappear to. Many adventures and good times took place here—sharing a bisicle, exchanging fairy-tales, and maybe doing our homework (though often getting distracted in the middle)._

 _As soon as we reach, Asriel lets go of my hand and start gathering stones again. I sighed, leaning over to help him. "More statues?" I ask him wryly, not bothering to ask for an explanation anymore._

" _Nope!" He grins at my tone and hefts his load to the middle wall, where one of the ancient scripts were carved. "This is where the legendary artifact is gonna be!"_

 _Again, we made a sort of pedestal. Honestly, it wasn't much, but Asriel was almost hopping around in glee. Carefully, he takes out the red glass ball and sets it on the crudely made altar. The surface sloped a bit, so the orb didn't roll off and stayed firmly in place. We take a step back and observe the legendary artifact. Then we look at each other. Then back at the pedestal again. Slowly, the corners of our faces lift and we burst into laughter._

 _After calming ourselves down, he started explaining the mechanisms he had in mind for the puzzle. I listen intently, a little impressed at his plan. It was a simple, but charming puzzle. I suppose he got Mom's brains. It was with a little stab of emotion that I realized I would never truly be their child, having inherited neither their physical nor mental characteristics. Shaking off my thoughts, I asked the question he didn't seem to acknowledge._

" _It's a good puzzle, Azzie. Just like the ones we had on the surface." Well, not exactly. The ones on the surface were much more likely to kill you if you got them wrong. But he didn't need to know that. I had left out a lot of gory bits in my stories, since he had covered his ears when I tried to mention them. "But… we already know how it works, so what would be the point?" I ask him. Puzzles were meant to be solved, so if we already knew the solution, why bother?_

" _Oh, gosh." His shoulders slump, realization finally dawning on him. "Well, that's true… um…" He frowns, his little goat ears drooping down as if in deep thought._

 _Suddenly, he perks up. "Well, what if we don't solve it now?"_

" _Huh?"_

" _I mean, let's just leave it here, and come back for it another time! Maybe we'll have forgotten by then! Then we can solve it together!" He says brightly._

 _I shake my head. "Azzie… that would have to take a really long time."_

" _That's okay! We'll create even more puzzles, and have a lot of other adventures! We're gonna be together for a long time, right? We're best friends, after all." He says cheerfully, and I can hear the hope in his voice. I smiled at his enthusiasm._

" _All… Alright, then. If it's a long time from now, I guess I won't remember this puzzle anymore. We'll come back and solve it later." It would take ages for me to forget, but I didn't want to disappoint him._

 _His ears lift. "R-really? Y-you promise?" His hesitation finally shows, despite his previous confidence._

" _Yeah." I nod at him, meaning it._

" _Reeealllly?"_

 _I chuckle at him. "How about a pinky promise?"_

" _What's a pinky?" He asks me confusedly._

 _I dissolve into giggles at his expression. Taking his hand, I curl my pinky around one of the fingers on his paws. "I'm not sure if you have one, but this is probably it." I smiled at his deepening confusion. "It's something we do on the surface. It's very important if you make a promise."_

 _Not quite understanding me but playing along anyway, he tightens his finger around mine. "Okay, pinky promise it is! Years from now, when we're both grown-ups like Mom and Dad, let's come back and get that legendary artifact back, okay?"_

" _Okay, I promise."_

* * *

I groaned at the chortling skeleton in front of me, seeing pink in my left eye. "Awww, you got me again."

Sans grins wickedly at me, while still trying to feign an air of innocence. "Huh? You aren't satisfied?" He winks at me. "Don't worry, I'll give you a full refund."

Despite feeling annoyed, I had to admit it was a good prank. I laughed at him while trying to scrape the pink film off my eye. "You like stars, Sans?" I ask curiously.

His face lights up slightly, though I could tell he was trying to hide it. "I like em' as much as the next skeleton, kid. Though I'm not sure I remember what they look like. S'hard to see real stars from down here." He shrugs.

I smiled at him as I tapped the telescope. "Maybe you'll get to see them someday. Go stargazing with Papyrus and the others."

"That'd be swell, buddy. Be nice if it could come true." He tries to not look hopeful, but is failing miserably. "If that day comes, howzabout ya come with me, eh? I'll even let you use the telescope again for free." Once again, he jokingly gives me his signature wink.

"No way am I falling for that again." I giggle at his suggestion and wave at him, continuing to walk on. "See you later, Sans." I called over my shoulder. He doesn't reply, his face unreadable. I quickened my steps.

I wonder if he noticed that I never replied his question.

* * *

" _I… I don't like this idea, Chara." I can hear his voice shaking._

 _He sneezes and shivers, the motion causes small droplets of water to splash on to me. We were standing in the rocky hallway again, our conversation slightly muted by the sound of the music box playing its tune. We were dry this time, holding our own respective umbrellas from the basket._

" _Don't be a crybaby, Azzie." I said impatiently, slightly worried he was going to back out of our plan._

" _Wh-what? I'm not… big kids don't cry." He sniffs and rubs his eyes with his sleeves._

 _I reach over to pat his shoulder, trying to reassure him. "We could free the monsters, Azzie. Mom and Dad could be free, and we could have our own adventures, instead of being stuck down here all the time."_

 _He tries to hold his head high. "Yeah, you're right." But his face still looks uneasy. I reach out to hold his hands and stare at him determinedly._

" _You're not doubting me, are you?" I wasn't lying to him completely, I really did want the monsters to be free. Then we could erase all the humans and live happily together on the surface. Me, him, Mom and Dad. We could have all the puzzles and adventures we want, without humanity in the way._

 _He jumps in surprise at my gesture and hurriedly meets my gaze. "No! I'd never doubt you, Chara…" He shook his head fiercely. "Never!"_

 _I smiled at him. "Then we'll do this together, okay?"_

 _He beams at me. "Yeah! We'll be strong! We'll free everyone. I'll go get the flowers." He runs off, his feet making capering noises in the wide empty cavern._

 _I stare after him a long moment, before looking at the old statues in front of me. Two small hunched figures, taking cover from the rain and sharing a secret. I grab the ever-present locket hanging from my neck and unclasp the metal, revealing a faded photograph inside. It rekindled fresh hatred within me, and all my hesitation melted away. With a loud snap, I close the locket and grab a nearby rock._

 _Using all my strength, I crush the smaller statue sitting next to the horned one. Again and again, I hit it until my fingers bled and there was nothing left except a pile of rubble. With my feet, I kick the debris away, scattering the remains over the rest of the floor. Now there was just one lone figure, its horned head bowing down as if in sorrow._

 _Asriel would be mad at me, but I probably wouldn't be around for him to yell at later. Or maybe he would yell at himself, since I planned to have him absorb my soul. I think he didn't really understand the implications of my plan yet. It was better this way, I told myself. He was such a softie he probably wouldn't go along with me if he knew what I really planned to do._

 _Clutching my locket with bloody fingers, I murmur a silent apology._

" _I'm sorry, Azzie. It looks like I won't be able to keep our promise."_

* * *

I woke up next to the lone statue, the sound of the music box still playing endlessly in my ears. The melancholic tune rang loudly throughout Waterfall, its tinkling sound reverberating off the walls. I curl myself up a little more, only to discover my boots wet from the rain. I guess the umbrella didn't manage to cover all of my body. I glance at the figure next to me, a sense of nostalgia filling my chest. I had been tired and stopped here to rest a bit and ended up dozing off, the soothing sound of music calming my soul. Oddly, the space beside had looked empty, like there should have been something there. It fit my body just right, though.

I notice a few wet spots on my sweater and frown. That was strange. I was right under the umbrella, so my torso should have been dry. Reaching up a hand to my cheek, it came away wet with tears.

"Oh." I exclaimed softly, feeling surprised. For some reason, I had been crying.

* * *

 **The bit about Papyrus is actually pretty detached from the main content of this chapter, but I kind of wanted to write about his interactions with Frisk a little. It's short so I couldn't fit it anywhere between, so please just treat it as an intermission of sorts.**

 **On another note, I'm actually playing the game as I write it (I bought it a few weeks ago after watching LPs on youtube), and for the life of me I cannot get past Muffet—charming spidergal though she is. Flowey and Asriel will be a total nightmare.**

 **I'm reminded very strongly why I'm bad at video games lol.**


	6. DISCONTINUED (AN)

Author's note:

Hey guys, it's been a while.

I thought I'd actually officially **discontinue** the story here. The reason is that I've been reading more and more Undertale fanfiction over the months, and I have concluded that my plans for this particular fanfiction have been rehashed in maybe over 50 similar stories, albeit with minor differences. I actually do have the next chapter typed up, but it would be pointless to continue it. I apologize for this, if you have been waiting for an update, but I don't think it would be something new for you even if I did continue. Thank you for all the kind reviews and for enjoying it so far—one day I hope to write something (and maybe actually finish it) again.

Sapphir3 is out.


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